


unrelated eruri drabbles

by stillmadaboutpetra



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-09
Updated: 2015-08-26
Packaged: 2018-02-08 02:18:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 25,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1923036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stillmadaboutpetra/pseuds/stillmadaboutpetra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From canon angst to love confessions to emperors to dog walkers to artists. It's all here.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. real love

**Author's Note:**

> Reposting from my tumblr, stillmadaboutpetra

This when he knows…

Evening, near night. Sun setting but the hard packed summer dirt is warm to the touch. They’ve eaten, they’ve retired. It’s too hot to fuck, bodies prematuraly sweaty, probably would come prematuraly too just to get over with it. Too hot. They’ve taken a cold bath. Levi still drinks hot tea though, cursing and mumbling to himself while he cards his fingers through Erwin’s hair with the hand not gripping warm ceramic. The steam doesn’t even register where it laps at a skin-sticky palm.

This is when he knows….they’re hot and Erwin rests his hulking weight on Levi, overcoming the smaller man’s bitching with stubborn insistence and sheer size. He blows streams of lung-temperature air out across Levi’s skin like some reconciliation for wanting physical contact while they slowly soil the sheets with the smell of sweat.

Levi’s stomach whistles and chugs beneath Erwin’s ear. Erwin grins and shifts up. Moderately cooler air fills the space his body vacates and Levi sighs with relief. This is when he knows…Erwin, with eyes of a blue dog, pats Levi’s stomach affectionately. “Sounds like you’ve got a big poop brewing in there.”

It blows Levi the fuck away. He stares at Erwin, stunned, tea in one hand, the other frozen in mid-stroke through Erwin’s sweaty hair.

Erwin looks so pleased with himself and settles back dowm on Levi. Levi’s stomach gurgles loudly in the room and finally Levi wheezes on a wild laugh, hastily putting his tea down before he scalds them both. “You fuck.” He knows. “I love you.”

Erwin smothers laughter into the sweaty crease where Levi’s thigh meets hip. “The height of romance. I’ve won you over by finally making a poop joke.” Levi feels more than hears Erwin mouth the affirmation back, lips on his skin in a wet kiss that must taste of salt.  
"I’m dedicating that shit to you," Levi informs him.


	2. touches

○ It’s after a mission when Erwin first touches him. Really touches, since Levi had fallen into the ranks. Erwin puts his hand on the base of Levi’s neck, framed by the dark prickle of hair and deep green of his cloak hood. “Good job, ” Erwin praises. And Levi—

And Levi skitters ahead an extra step, pulling away from the touch and half whipping around to frown at Erwin. He hasn’t been touched there in months. He hasn’t been touched gently since the only two people he’d dedicated himself too were crushed between mindless teeth.

Erwin doesn’t say anything when Levi only squints at him before he leads his horse back to the stable.

○ It happens again. A wide hand on his head, at the curve on the back. Brushing up into the longer locks. “You did well but don’t get reckless.”

Levi inhales and shakes his head, dislodging Erwin’s hand. “Lecture the idiots who pissed their pants,” he complains of the shell shocked cadets. Levi had felled the Titan intent on an easy meal of freshly culled soldiers.

He looks up, almost curious, to see Erwin smiling while looking away. Levi follows that distant blue gaze but it only brings his vision to the stone-wall horizon. He looks away from Erwin before Erwin can pin him down with eyes that always see a future Levi can only hope to follow.

○ Again. A grip on his bicep, suddenly taking his sagged weight. Levi startles and nearly tips off the corner of Erwin’s desk, ass numb, a roll of maps tumbling onto the ground. “That’s enough for tonight, Levi, ” Erwin says and even his voice sounds thin with exhaustion, but he supports Levi with one arm until Levi wakes up enough to slide off the desk.

He winces. “My ass,” rubs it as he bends for the maps. Erwin chuckles at him.

"Perhaps I’ll pad that corner of my desk."

"If you would be ever so kind." Levi sets the papers straight on Erwin’s desk and doesn’t look at him. Doesn’t ask why Erwin let Levi fall asleep, why Erwin had been standing there at the ready to catch him before he could bob forward, why not just wake him.

○ Hanji and Nanaba are both riding on Mike, Hanji on his shoulders and Nanaba wrapped around his chest like a toddler. It’s goddamn embarrassing. How they aren’t falling, considering Mike’s cautious drunken steps and the general excess of limbs, impresses Levi far more than he finds acceptable.  
And Erwin….Erwin has decided that Levi is a crutch because there’s a fair amount of pressure on his shoulder where Erwin grips him. “You’re a goddamn disgrace,” Levi scolds, like he isn’t pressed and bumping into Erwin’s side with every step.

"Don’t tell me that," Erwin says, even, far off eyes misty with alcohol. The hand squeezes. "Not you, Levi."

At the door of officer’s lodging, Levi unwinds Erwin’s arm from around his shoulders. “Enjoy your post-binge shit in the morning,” he jokes, the only one amused. He jerks his head to the side when Erwin tries to cups his cheek. “Don’t touch my face, your hands are filthy.”

"Levi."

"You reek and you’re sticky." Levi takes from the step like a spooked horse and jogs into the night, stomach sloshing with beer.

○ The winter has finally thawed. Erwin, after a day of training, bears down on Levi. “You need a haircut.” He touches Levi’s neck where the hair has grown long enough to tickle his skin constantly.

"Fuck," Levi swats at him. He’s sweaty and starved, "don’t be so goddamn creepy." 

They don’t do missions in the winter; the gas cans don’t work as well, the cold makes people stiff and uncoordinated, and it is in general shitty. Levi doesn’t look as military neat as normal.

"Come to my barber." Levi tries to parse whether or not that’s an order.

"Hell no, he’s a shit barber if he let’s you run around with those caterpillar eyebrows."

Erwin surprises him by raising one insulted eyebrow and smoothly responding: “They keep me warm in the winter.”

Levi snorts in the back of his throat and waves Erwin away. “I hope they turn into butterflies and fuck off.”

Erwin tips his head, privately amused and touches now the drape of Levi’s bangs, pushes them back. Lets them flop forward. “You can’t enjoy that.”

Levi hadn’t minded until Erwin started pawing at it. He frowns and wipes his face down with a towel, gets the sweat around his neck. He grunts a nothing answer.

"Come to my room after you wash up, I won’t have one of my captains looking like that." Definitely an order, the asshole. He obeys, scowl particularly pissy at the prospect of being towed off for a trim. Insead though, Erwin sits him down in the bathroom, a shaving kit and scissors on hand.

"Jack of all trades. This where you learned your swordsmanship?"

"Yes." Erwin guides Levi’s head down and sets to work with silent precision. The scrapes and metal wince of his scissors covers the tightly controlled rush of Levi’s breathing. It feels good, Erwin’s fingers touching here and there, around his ear, palm pressing to his scalp. The blade whisking away hair after Erwin had cut the worst of it off. Levi doesn’t have to do anything at all because Erwin guides his head where he wants, careful and purposeful. Levi simply sits and Erwin touches him.

Water splashes and all Levi can smell is soap and powder. Erwin wipes his neck off with a towel then circles around to stand in front of him. He tips Levi’s face up with fingers under his chin; Levi stares back expectantly while Erwin scrutinizes the cut.

"Well?" Levi asks before his tongue can get more useless doing nothing, "you fuck up?"

"No." Erwin has Levi pinned in his future seeing gaze. Levi swallows and drags the towel from around his neck without looking away. He takes Erwin’s hand in his and wipes it down, palm and each finger. Erwin watches, unmoving beyond some fire light in his eyes, as Levi brings his hand up and presses it to his cheek.

"You smell good," Levi says, turning his face enough to nose at Erwin’s wrist and inhale.


	3. a favor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erwin does nile a favor

Erwin owed Nile a favor. This is before the world had sunk to another level of hell and after Erwin had come to know hell. That is, he is a corporal. No knowledge of the wounds to come.

He is a corporal in the Survey Corp, and he owes Nile Dawk a favor. That favor rides with him and with his lieutenant, Levi, who owes him a favor too. Erwin had been saving up the debt Levi owed him for awhile, hoping to cash it sometime more prodigious, but this may be that time. Erwin certainly feels desperate.

"Lucas, don't pull on her mane, you'll hurt her," Levi orders, firm without anger. Lucas, a bowl-cut sporting, chubby cheeked four year old squirms and pouts against Levi, who holds the child secure with one arm. Erwin falls on the recieving end of a glare from Levi.

Max, Lucas's twin, sleeps soundly against Erwin. Yes. Erwin is desperate. He grimaces out a smile and Levi only seethes more wrath before turning his face sharply forward. Erwin wonders if he can convince Nile that he now owes Erwin a favor. He thinks it'd be wise to save that favor to cancel out the next request of a favor. Kill the cycle.

It was just a bit of harmless child sitting. Erwin and Levi -- Levi who had become Erwin's shadow, like a fury or a storm cloud or, dare it ever come to that, the man who had promised in the dying froth of a battle, to protect Erwin--

(Titan steam around them, the metallic taste of blood and sour bile in his throat, the impact of a fall that rocked Erwin's body. Levi, swords out, hissing, "you promised me a future, don't you dare die." Levi who helped Erwin onto his own horse, Erwin's poor thing crushed)

\-- protect him whether it be from the nastiness of Humanity or the senseless hunger of a Titan.

No. In truth Erwin owes Levi his life, a debt uncashable. 

"How come you got the sleepy one," Levi bitches, jostling Nile's child and prying tiny fingers from his mare's mane for the hundredth time. 

"He'll be awake soon enough."

Lucas questions everything around them. "What bird is that?" "A brown bird." "What flower is that" "A yellow flower."

It's safe to say Levi isn’t learned on species of flora and fauna. He does however have a creative imagination.

"Ah, see, that's the fat Policeman-"

"-My daddy isn't fat-

"-I didn't say it was your daddy. Pay attention, I'm being entertaining, runt." Levi holds Lucas's hand up, points with Lucas's small finger to the drifting clouds that hang in the sky. "So the policeman is chasing those bunnies,--"

"-they dont have long ears-"

"-but look at the tails." Clouds make impressive cotton tails for bunnies.

"I ate a bunny once." Levi hums encouragingly and Lucas continues. "It had little balls in it. Max died. But daddy kissed him better so he didn't die anymore."

Both men look at the sleeping Max against Erwin. Likely the kid had choked on a pellet in the meat, but he was fine now. Died but kissed better. If only it were so easy. Erwin drifts in the irony of that possibility, if their mouths could mend the broken bodies that teeth had torn. A careless butcher not cleaning the meat enough.

Levi remebers hunger pains and thin soup cooked with half rancid cuts of fat.

Lucas, stunningly, goes quiet while his temporary guardians fall into private thoughts.

Max does eventually wake up, rather urgently. Levi smirks and sticks Erwin on bathroom duty. Erwin has to stoop and shuffle to hold both boys by the hand as they find a cospe of trees. At least, Erwin thinks, they are still the sons of a military man. He orders them to wait while he relieves himself behind a tree as well. When he comes back to the horses, Levi waits long enough to give each boy a snack to eat before he gives Erwin the reigns of the horses and walks off to tend to his own needs. Levi looks sharp and alert even in the harmless Maria roadway.

Overall, the trip isn't particularly eventful. Nile had taken the boys with him in what he thought was a social visit to some general, then it turned into a work thing and Erwin and Levi had been on hand to escort his tots back to where his wife was visiting her sister. They reach Marie before nightfall, and Erwin has to quickly reassure her that Nile is perfectly fine.

She clutches the ruffles at her throat, a boy clinging to both of her legs. "Oh thank heavens. When I saw you with them, Erwin-" she looks at him and smiles, and he can see how breakable she is. He swallows, nods. Does not think about what she felt like ten years ago under his hands. How her face would look in the mob that surrounds each returning expedition, searching for a husband who may never return. 

"Nile will be home tomorrow night I'm sure. A trifling but tedious matter." 

Marie invites them to stay the night, and Levi only looks up to Erwin in unspoken acquiescence. They enjoy a hot meal, a bath. Marie's sister, Jenine, knows better than to think much of Survey corp soldiers. Erwin and Marie chat pleasantly, revisiting old memories. Erwin looks around the home, at the boys who insist, over and over, for Uncle Levi to pick them up. Levi does, face soft if still remote.

Erwin looks at the scene, at Marie, Jenine knitting but a low fire, and envies Nile. A brief stab in an old wound. There and gone.

Marie and Jenine apologize for only having one spare room, the sisters sleeping together in Jenine's, the boys in a cot together. Levi says something like "better than the pigsweat of the barracks" and takes to a bath. 

In bed, they lie out of reach of each other. Erwin thinks of Nile and how he must have panicked when Max choked. Kisses after, a man to kiss his son better. That wound aches.

"Would you ever want children?" He dares to ask his luitenent in the dark. The well stuffed hay mattress crinkles as Levi rolls. 

"What?"

Erwin huffs. "After, if you could." Erwin knows better than to talk of such things, with Levi, with any soldier of the Corp. "Or if you weren't here." He already regrets asking. Wishes he were asleep.

Levi ignores him, at least Erwin thinks he does, hopes he does. But then Levi speaks, softly. "No. Whether I was a soldier or not. I--" he rolls again and Erwin does too, expecting to meet Levi's eyes but Levi is on his back, pale face barely visible, but looking at the ceiling. "We aren't men who get to have families, Erwin."

Erwin is grateful Levi has answered for both of them, that he understands. That Levi does not speak again that night nor again of children. When a pack of cigars comes in the mail from Nile, the two of them smoke in silence. Erwin owes Levi so many favors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was gonna be cute but ended up jot cute. May have lucas and max come back at some point for cute things


	4. the sweater

Levi had this sweater. He told Erwin it was the most important sweater ever. It was his Sadness Sweater. It was too big for Levi, soft to the touch and black. Erwin never told Levi he looked achingly cute in it because this sweater meant his Levi didn't feel right.

When he came home that day, Levi, who always beat him home because of a shorter commute, did not greet him. "Levi?" He took off his shoes, his suit coat, began undoing his cuffs. He found Levi in his Sadness Sweater curled up on the couch.

Sometimes, it was nothing more than anxiety, when everything got too big and too much for Levi. He could put his sweater on and gently close himself off, like an emotional time out. The sweater was for Erwin too, so that he knew Levi might not talk or act like his usual self. That he might need extra love that day or space. 

Erwin crossed to him and touched his hair. Levi didn't stir, didn't greet him, just stared at the news playing on the TV. Erwin knew not to take it personally. "We'll order in tonight," he told Levi before he went into their room to change out of his work clothes.

He didn't close the door, and sure enough Levi followed in after him. Erwin said nothing and Levi said nothing, only sat on the edge of their bed, knees drawn up for his cheek to rest on. He watched Erwin with a removed expression. Erwin hung his clothes neatly, changed into loungewear. When he finished, Levi followed him back out to he couch.

Levi had spent a lot of years without the support he would need when struggling like this. Somehow, he adopted his Sadness Sweater as a control method. He didn't have to verbalize or ask or tell because Erwin knew to be patient and open. 

Erwin got two glasses of water, put them on coasters on the coffee table and took a seat on the couch. Levi joined him, first sitting as faraway as possible, only a little stiff breath to indicate his presence when he was otherwise perfectly silent. Erwin changed the news to the food network and turned the volume down a few dots. Before Bobby Flay could announce the course for that episode, Levi crawled over to Erwin and arranged himself to his liking in Erwin's lap, chest to chest, Levi pasted to him, face in his neck.

Erwin stroked his back, his hair, said nothing. The TV glowed but he only half paid it mind, trying to tune himself to Levi's breathing, his heartbeat. Then came a sniffle. A wet breath, a gasp through Levi's mouth. "Oh darling," Erwin said softly, hands braced warm on Levi's back as the bottled up emotions broke with a crack and Levi began to cry. A hard cry too, suddenly wet and full of noisy whines and choked breaths.

Erwin rubbed his back, concern jumping up dramatically. "Levi, Levi, talk to me," he asked softly, holding his darling close. The sweater bunched under his hands, the fibers not soft enough for his Levi. Levi gave him no explanation, having a cry on Erwin's shoulder with leaky tears. There was a lull for a moment, Levi tamping it down a bit to get out a ragged "my mom died."

No matter the years of estrangement between them, that was a harsh blow and Erwin murmured his sympathies to Levi, kissed his hair and let him wear out the sadness. After that Levi quieted down to tight breaths, swallowed hiccups. Erwin let him sit for a minute or two before he asked "want to get cleaned up a little?"

It was a surefire way to get Levi's gears moving again. Levi got off him, wiping his face on the back of his hand before he turned to the bathroom. Erwin followed. While Levi blew his nose and made a few unhappy irritated sounds, Erwin got a rag wet with cold water, rang it out. He patted Levi's hot, splotchy cheeks and stroked his hair. He wanted to know more details, but with Levi looking up at him, helplessly devastated by such a personal loss, Erwin couldn't find it in himself to ask questions yet. 

They had tea and a small dinner of take out, pasta, something heavy to lull Levi to sleep. The sweater came off before bed, a good sign, and Erwin carefully kissed Levi, from his tired face to his fingertips and belly. Erwin wasn't a sweater but he did an okay job too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was sad so this is indulgence. My mom didnt die so chill


	5. emporer! Erwin courtesan! levi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drabble of emporer and courtesan sexytimes and feelings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written in first person pov from levi, past tense for the first part and present tense at the end

Erwin's spell of misery following the war forgotten, he took me regularly. I felt at times that I had awaked his hunger, me alone. He reached for me, at meals, passing through the house, bringing me to my knees or putting me to bed beneath him. My body, not my own for many years, took on a new lightness. Erwin kissed me and pet me, he brought me to orgasm alongside him, finding as much satisfaction in my pleasure as his own. I was his favorite.

I didn’t begrudge him the least. I found him strangely susceptible to my charms. I could almost pity him for it. At the moment, I sat on the edge of Erwin’s’s bed, a luxorious thing that I tried to sleep in as often as possible. Erwin, indulgent and giving me smiles that showed a bare flash of bone white teeth, knelt at my feet.

Erwin cradled one ankle in his hands, staring up at me, more likely up my dress, with a lewd look in his eyes. “You don’t have any hairs on your toes.”

My face must have fallen dramatically to have Erwin laughing at me and kissing my ankles in a spectacular display of delight.

“I was set upon by rogue tweezers,” I replied with a sniff, pushing my other foot at his face. The hand that circled around my ankle in a tight lock made a shiver run through me, and a second look at Erwin showed him looking at me cooly. He held both of my ankles in his large hands and stood, callouses on his fingers and palms scratching faintly at my skin.

“You think you may kick at my face, Levi?” He held my legs wide open like handles on a barrow and looked down on me. I swallowed, fingers curling into the linen sheet on the bed. I shook my head, hair brushing softly on my cheeks and over my brow. The light of lamps flickering on Erwin's face made it hard for me to discern the details of his hidden emotions. I felt wicked when we played.

“You don’t even answer a question when asked.” He jerked at my legs and a high noise burst from my lips as my bottom slid to the very precipise of the bed, wooden frame digging into the meat of me. Erwin tipped me onto my back, folding me neatly, a slow care in his motions that relieved me of my greatest tension. Erwin checked his power when he handled me.

One of the necklaces Erwin had bought for me slid along my throat, linked chain tickling me where my pulse thumped near the surface. His eyes caught it and one hand released my ankle though I didn’t move. He swept his finger under the chain and found the heavy black stone that hung from it, admiring the craft of the bezel.

“Levi,” We met each others’ eyes. “Are you my little prince?”

My mouth fell open and I think my legs did too another measure. Erwin leaned in closer, stone balanced on the pad of one finger, our faces drawn close together.

“Yes.” He liked to tease me, making the royal address rude and fond at once.

Erwin smiled slowly and put the stone against my mouth. "A little prince without a throne to ascend, fucked by the emporer. ” He applied pressure until I took the stone into my mouth, a cold organic shape that made spit flood behind the barrier of my teeth. The fine chain hung from either side of my mouth, looping around behind my neck like reins. The stone seemed to swell in my mouth as I swallowed around the shape of it, digging into the hard palate of my mouth.

“But are you still my little prince, Levi?” I could feel his erection against the inside of my thigh now as he leaned down, shifting his weight. He was angled forward, broad shoulders cutting across my vision and blocking out the sight of the ceiling, his face where my gaze held trapped. I parted my mouth to answer and the stone slid on my tongue, metal bite making my breath hitch. The chain clinked on my teeth. Erwin, triggered by the faint sound, moved his other hand from my ankle and held my hip, rolling me onto my shoulders more. My dress fell further about my waist as he pulled me in to meet his groin, erection slipping to rest against my own. The heat and weight of it on my skin, made me shift, eager. I tipped my chin in challenege, eyes dark and slim.

“Yes,” he breathed, pleased, drawing back to rub against me until his cock caught on my hole, daily prepared, and pushed in. I moaned, clamping my mouth shut to grind the chain between my teeth, stone bouncing inside my mouth as he thrusted. He moved slowly, deep and hard, taking his time making me sweat inside my dress. When I let my head roll to the side, noisy breaths shushing from my nose, the hand at my throat would turn me by the cheek to look at him.

He kissed me, knowing I’d open my mouth. I could hardly respond for fear of choking on the heavy stone in my mouth, tongue forming a wall behind it. I felt so full, body at both ends invaded by Erwin. My ankles locked behind his back, keeping him close, hands finding his hair only to be shook loose and pushed down above my head. I didn’t try to fight him, letting myself be taken.

He changed his angle and thrusted hard suddenly and the easy motions broke with a clap of skin. I arched and cried out and the pendant hit the back of my throat and I gagged in surprise, tongue pushing it halfway out of my mouth before Erwin clamped a hand over my mouth and held it in place. “You won’t choke, and you won’t swallow it. Keep it, Levi,” he ordered.

I was hazy with this special pleasure I could rarely find on my own, bent and ploughed by Erwin's desires. He didn’t need me to nod, he never did. Nodding was a luxury I couldn’t afford on my own.

“Little prince,” he grunted into my ear, head bowed to kiss and bite at my neck. He had half crawled onto the bed, knee of one leg bent up alongside my hip, foot on the floor keeping him steady in his rocking. My cock burned with need, neglected between us, weeping pitifully onto my dress, across my abdomen. My teeth held the chains of the necklace like a prize now, like the broken neck of a bird between weasel teeth. I turned my face defiantly and pressed it against Erwin’s sweaty one. He caught my eye and blinked at the victorious expression on my face. He seemed stunned then he closed his eyes with a groan as he came inside of me. “Levi.”

I waited for him to come to himself, to push back my sweaty bangs. He pinched the chains at the corners of my mouth and I opened my jaw wide. Halfway through the stone slipping free I bit down, pinning it. Growled. Erwin blew out a breath and took my cock in hand, making me whine and stiffen. I refused to relinquish the stone even after I came with a choked cry, hot and wet on my belly, bleeding through my dress.

“Will you keep that there all day,” Erwin finally asked me, a vein of impatience in his whole bearing as he fetched a cloth to wipe at himself and then me. I let myself be tended too, reclining on his bed. Finally I let the stone drop, hit my chest with its weight. 

“I don’t have to answer a commoner, god that I am.”

Erwin snorted, climbing into bed and pushing me around. “God now? How did you manage that under my nose?” He spoke lightly but watched me with intrigued eyes.

“When the emporer knelt and kissed my feet.” My skin still shone pink, a delirious push of blood making me feel free and large even as I fit myself against Erwin’s side. He fingered the necklace, tilting the stone, still damp with my spit, against the light.

“Obsidian...it reminds me of birds. The kind that eat at bodies. Big black things, like ghouls on the battlefield.” His mouth twisted down at the memory. He didn’t let go of the stone. Vultures, crows, hawks, eagles. Even the prettiest songbirds pick at the flesh of dead men before they can be burned. "Your eyes are just as dark."

“And my heart,” I said. He gave me a look, but I said nothing more. He might have been mad, but I kissed it away from him.

~~~  
I could watch him speak, harmless and passionate, for the rest of my days. His steady voice, crisp to all ears, does as much work as all his skills in oration, beyond even the charm of his nature and heartfelt intentions. This suites him far better than his service of arms, what gave him a nasty scar in youth. Funny, that this is his course now as emporer, speaking. Erwin no longer has to quest for glory the same way young soldiers do like name-starved dogs. Erwin wants to keep us from war, to work on what the land has rather than snatching for more at the cost of lives. Some question his restraint, but after years of blood behind him, perhaps that will be his saving grace. He doesn’t race toward honor with madness like the heros of well-worn tales. He puts his name on the line for the well-being of those he need not even consider. The working class, the small ones who lose too many sons, brothers, husbands and fathers to the battle field. 

I love him, and it stuns me. His eyes meet mine fleetingly during the speech, holding just long enough to let me know it’s purposeful. His face twitches, lips jumping up in a secret smile that wraps around a vowel before his expression smooths. I’m proud that his voice does not waver or hush, as happens in private when he’s speaking with me. Maybe it's delusional to think only I get his voice when he whispers secrets.

Here, he is on display, addressing a crowd of earnest men. The sun drenches him in gold and his fiendish blue eyes, horrible and bizarre, shine more monstrous than ever. It terrifies me like the stretch of the ocean horizon. He is waves and foam, he is vigor that breaks upon me relentlessly. His stare undoes me, but he wields it against the public now for once. He spares me in this though I’ll be taken apart at his pleasure tonight regardless of the mercy.

I’m wrong. He wages war on me. But I, as unfit for battle as he, surrender.


	6. swans

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Implied character death

He found Levi outside on the terrace. Erwin joined him. The door to the party clicked closed and the world shrank down to just two. "Planning your escape?"

" Every moment I'm alive," Levi drawled, drunk enough for Erwin to hear it in his words. Levi was draped against the railing, a glass of wine barely pinched in his hand. Erwin settled next to him, looking out at what had caught Levi's attention. Beneath a bright moon, a small pond glistened like a mirror, its water rippling softly from two swans floating along it.

"Those are some big ass birds," Levi said, took a long drink from his glass. Erwin laughed quietly, a puff of air through his nose.

"Swans. Never seen any?"

"No."

The swans profiles were clear, the silver water framing their slender necks and curved bodies.

"They're beautiful creatures. Can be very nasty though, territorial." Erwin could think of another creature that fit that description.

"Oh haha, you're so charming," Levi sniffed when Erwin playfully nudged him. Levi nudged back, but it wasn't hard and he ended up gripping the back of Erwin's formal military jacket.

"They mate for life too," Erwin said minutes later after he kissed wine from Levis mouth.

"You're making this shit up."

"I'm really not." It was rare he got to tell Levi a beautiful truth. He coveted the moment.

He winced as Levi hurled the crystal glass into the pond below. It made a small splash and the swans lifted their wings and flapped just a bit but otherwise continued undisurbed. "Rude, Levi."

"They didn't fly away," he murmured. Whatever thought spurred that particular outburst, and Erwin had ceased trying to guess at the nuances of Levi's actions, didn't trouble Levi a moment longer. Erwin met him halfway in a kiss that burned and drowned him.

"When can we escape?" Levi asked after, eyes silver under the moon.

"Soon, darling. Vey soon."

 

Erwin was at that manor again a few years later. His solitude on the terrace disappeared when the lady of the house joined him.

"The swans, what happened to them?" Erwin asked, wine glass full and heavy in his hand.

"Oh, those poor things. The one died and the other stopped eating. They were so beautiful." When Erwin gave nothing, she continued, melancholic and thoughtful. "Michel gave them to me as a wedding present. I was so worried it was an omen, I fretted for months after. They mate for life."

"Yes," Erwin said, "I know. "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by the sad story of swans at a nearby college


	7. I am writing graffiti on your body

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erwins obsessed, levis a graffiti artist

Steam curls upwards like a waking beast from the coffeecup in Erwins hand. It warms his nose and vanishes in his gaze, the rim of the cup held to his lips with no intent to drink yet. Erwin freezes on the cracked sidewalk and turns his head. There, on the side of the abandoned office building he just bought, that he looked at only two days ago, is graffiti. 

It makes Erwin turn full bodied and lift his head from the now forgotten coffee to survey the art - God this is art - with critical eyes. His degree in architecture at least gives him an appreciation for clean lines and the power of execution and completion. It strikes him with the same sensations as visiting a grave and singing in church does.

He forgetfully sips his coffee and burns his tongue. His phone makes a cartoonish camera sound when he takes a picture. He goes into the building and finds his manilla folder inside from when he'd been on site. Thinks nothing of the dirty smuge on the corner of it.

"Look at this," he says to Mike, coming into his friend's office. He holds his phone out. Mike speaks around a mouthful of bagel when he asks, "is it sexy pictures? I hope they're of you."

"No, you ass." 

Mike looks. He tips his head and hums. "Wow. Where's that?"

"On the side of the Med Ed building we just bought."

"Weren't you there only a bit ago? Dude works fast. That's cool." Mike appreciates it, but Erwin can tell he isn't stirred the same way. It's better in person, he consoles himself.

 

He lets it go for a few weeks. Does not forget the graffiti, could never. He can close his eyes and see the limited pallete. Black white and a vibrant cobalt blue. The shapes, people, somehow more energetic than the people on the street yet vanishing like ghosts. This absolutely cannot be the artist's first time.

So nearly a month passes, and Erwin finds the art again. Different but obviously the same person. On the side of another crumbling building, greens and bronze and black. Lots of black, the colours used sparingly to wet the underbellies of crawling creatures and play sunlight on their inhuman backs. Erwin takes another photo and consults the internet.

He's not the only one piqued by the artist. A few google searches and he finds a fanpage, but it provides no identity. Nearly all of the art over the past two years -Erwin studies the growth in each piece- has been lost. He artist only graffitis buildings to be raized. Erwin's not sure if that's pretensious or wise. No one cares what happens to a building about to be bulldozed.

He visits the only two other works still existing and finds out their lifespan. A month and three months. The three month one is a triptych that spans three buildings. Erwin spends his entire lunch break admiring it. It erases the shame he feels when he gets fast food on the way back to the office. 

"You went to McDonald's and didnt invite me," Mike asks, hurt. Erwin consoles him with his last chicken nugget, the friendship repaired. 

Erwin goes on site the day the Med Ed building goes down. The wrecking ball breaks through those ghostly people and Erwin's mouth fall open. They crumble in dust and debris, despairing faces falling to the ground in salavageable chunks. Erwin walks away with a brick striped by cobalt blue.

 

Erwin can't focus on a word Hanji is saying to him. It could be about her cat, it could be about their next board meeting. He gets up, hears her stop talking, and walks across the coffee shop to stand in front of a little painting on the wall. Watercolour pencil, black ink. Framed in white matte board, 8 by 6. $30 the tags reads. No artist name. Erwin lifts it off the wall and goes to the chasier.

"Do you know who painted this?"

He must have been more intense than he thought because the barista looks briefly overwhelmed. 

"No, sir, sorry. I can sell it to you though." Obviously he takes it, and they give him a carry out plastic bag for it.

"Erwin, you okay? Have a little freak out?" Hanji asks, half teasing half sincere. Erwin smiles, blissful. 

"I'm fine, Hanji. Sorry, please, get back to what you were saying." He rests his hand on the bag on the bench next to him for the rest of coffee.

 

He calls around to galleries but no one knows who the artist is. Most know the graffiti; Erwin barelt refrains from hanging up on anyone who scoffs about it. The art doesn't consume him, he isn't obsessed. He's fine. He just has a hobby. He's a connossiuer. 

"I'm a wealthy man, I'm supposed to like art. Let me be weird in peace, Mike, " he says. "It's a quirk. I need somethig to talk about on dates."

"You'd have to go on a date before you start worrying about conversation pieces."

Erwin asks out the owner of one of the galleries he visited. Petra is lovely and smart, but Erwin feels like he's in a meeting. He endures, too focused on listening, on trying. He isn't stirred or moved, and begins to worry. He kisses her cheek but outright tells her, "I'm sorry, you're lovely, but this isn't right for me." She pats his hand and they part knowing such things happen.

Erwin's company purchases the defunct elementary school out on the edge of town. The community resents them a little for destroying their memories. One editorial causes enough attention that Erwin answers a few questions for the local paper. He tells them the wrong date for beginning of demolition. Wrong by two months. 

"You're obsessed," Mike harries him, now genuinely bothered.

"It was a slip of the tongue. I got the school confused with another project."

"Erwin."

He stands from his chair and puts his hands on Mike's shoulders. "I'm fine, Mike, I'm just thoroughly convinced that this person is a genius."

"You set a trap for him."

Erwin purses hia lips. "Well when you phrase it that way, it doesn't sound as cute as I imagine."

"You're out of your fucking mind." Mike, at least, sounds fond. It really isn't that bad. It's not. Erwin likes having something to go after. This artist found him at the rough time. Post divorce, putting too much time into micromanaging at work. Having this art to admire, this elusive anonymous creator to ask after, makes Erwin feel a bit young. Like he has a crush. He certainly fantasizes about meeting whomever is responsible for his enchanment. Erwin's replaced some of the empty space in his house with the stuff by his anonymous artist, finding gems around the city, at little shops, street vendors. A collector for something with no name. 

 

An old retired couple lives right next to the elementary school. Erwin tells them it's very important, for safty reasons, that no one be on the site. "Don't call the police, call me, if you see anyone. Especially if they have a ladder." 

The call comes when he's still at work. Three hours later, he's there, sure he's missed his chance, but as he all but jogs onto the site, circling around the creepy rusted playground, he finds he is not too late. That his artist, his vandal, is up on a ladder working. The top of the piece has already been started; Erwin counts the wrungs and sees the highest is 12 feet, that the person on it can't be more than five feet, doesn't look tall at all. 

Erwin watches quietly from below, neck craned back. He can smell the toxic fumes of spray paint, see the mist of it in the air, the hiss of the can. The ball rattling when the artist shakes it. He's wearing a construction mask and latex gloves. A utility apron hangs heavy with cans of spray paint. 

Erwin makes the mistake of falling into observation, and evetually the man on the ladder looks down at him. Erwin smiles.

The graffiti comes to a halt and the can disappears into the apron, the mask comes down to rest on the man's chest. "Yeah, dude?" 

Erwin has no clue what to say. He's been imagining this for months, some smooh seduction of appreciation, hand shaking and praise, offers for publicity, a job, contracts. Some way to capture this person and the raw evocative feeling the art puts in him.

"You calling the cops?" The pissy voice questions, and Erwin sees a frown. 

"No. No, I'd never." 

The man huffs and descends, and he is small. Off the ladder the top of his head won't come to Erwin's shoulder. Young, with that pensive dark look Erwin imagines all artists have. Melancholic but beautiful in a doomed romantic way. 

The man stares at him with bored expectation until Erwin extends his hand, mind cycling for a script. The man shows him his dirty gloved hand and Erwin shrugs. "I'm Erwin Smith. I'm....a fan," he manages lamely.

The handshake is firm and slightly sticky from spray paint. Erwin will have it on him for days, that smear of red. "Levi. I know who you are."

"You do?"

"Yeah, you're a bigshot at Corp Building. Stupid ass name by the way, for a business."

Erwin doesn't mind the insult. He supposes that Levi read his name in the article that gave him the false date for demolition, but the idea of Levi knowing his name warms Erwin. He exists in Levi's world, even if it'd just been by name. 

"So like, you gonna kidnap me or something now?" Levi asks, cocking his head.

"What?" 

"You're the dude. Petra, that gallery lady? She's a friend and told me you're obsessed with my work. This gonna turn into Misery? Cause I kinda need my legs, so..."

"Oh god. No. Shit, sorry, I didn't mean, I hope I haven't made you jncomfortable." Every fantasy meeting goes down the toilet. Erwin is ruined, this is a disaster. 

Levi lifts his eyebrows and lets out a breath. "So no kidnappig. Great. Well, you caught me," he says, voice dry. He knows. He knows Erwin has been hunting him, but he has no clue what this means. Erwin swallows. The thrill of the hunt trickles away. He looks up at the beginning of the newest piece but the wonder is still there. He doesn't have to hunt. He made this happen, he brought Levi here.

"I have," he says slowly. He's found the artist, but Levi is still a mystery. "Would you like to get dinner, sometime?"

 

They go on a date. Levi stares a lot. Erwin doesn't mind, and Levi doesn't seem to mind that Erwin is shit at dates. Levi suffers no pretense, and Erwin revels in Levi's earnestness. Levi works in construction, never went to college. "I'm glad you found me now when I'm doing something I'm good at. I used to think I could play guitar," Levi jokes. 

"Were you in a band that was totally going to make it big?" Erwin savors Levi's eyeroll and smile and catches his hand swinging between them. Levi flinches away and apologizes and says something about sweaty palms. Erwin asks to kiss him goodnight and Levi nods. He keeps his eyes open and Erwin gets so nervous, he ends up kissing Levi's cheek instead of his lips. 

Mike buys him champagne and they toast to Erwin not being weird or single anymore.

They date. It's a bit tricky, as Levi leans towatd solitude, but when he does appear, more often paint stained, occasionally with sunburn on the back of his neck from work, he gives Erwin his all. His all involves lots of starring and secret smiles and, while he doesn't like to hold hands, he will trace shapes on the back of Erwin's hand. 

Erwin finds sweetness in Levi even when Levi says things like "don't get me stared on Warhol, that's a load of nasty shit." 

Levi turns Erwin onto Paul Klee and they go see a Rothko exhibit.

The first time they have sex, Levi takes control. Erwin ends up sprawled on his back, completely naked, with Levi still wearing his jeans crouched over him bringing him off with kisses and a calloused hand. 

"Levi," he sighs, a thanks and a protest. He wants to touch but Levi only kisses him down into the bed and Erwin lets his little vandal ruin him to his liking. Levi does get naked, but only after Erwin is on the verge of coming, cock wet from Levi's mouth and soft spots on his body red raw from kisses and bites. They both come on Erwin's chest and Levi tells him he's beautiful. Erwin wonders at that because Levi makes beautiful things with his bare hands and Erwin destroys them.

"Will you pose for me?" Levi asks one day. Erwin has never seen Levi draw or paint again. It makes him uncomfortable apparently, to have an audience. Erwin says yes immediately and Levi draws a heart on the back of his hand. 

"You can talk if you want but it's hard for me to pay attention," Levi warns, leading Erwin into his studio. It's a room probably meant for a second bedroom but instead remains gutted aside from a work table, covered easles, a sofa, stools, and lights. Erwin strips under Levi's orders and sits on the stool. Levi fusses with some lamps and kisses him when he walks by and asks ten times if Erwin wants tea.

He's nervous, Erwin realizes. Levi won't meet his eyes and keeps washing his hands. Levi doesn't wear gloves aside from when he does graffiti. He stares at Erwin from behind the table, then gets up and kisses him again and apologizes and says "okay. Sorry. Thank you." And Erwin realizes, strangely, that Levi is obssessed with him in return. 

Erwin drifts and thinks. Levi plays music but Erwin doesn't recognize any of it. It's all in different languages, pleasant but meaningless to him. Levi paints Erwin in blue, in green, in browns and golds with pale pink. He takes a few photos and does sketches. Oil paint marks his hands, is smeared on his apron. Focused, he looks untouchable to Erwin.

They fuck wildly that night. Levi had squirmed against him in his lap throughout the whole movie on Erwin's couch until finally Erwin dragged him off to bed. "Your hands, your hands," Levi pants and Erwin lets go of Levi's cock to push three fingers into his mouth until Levi gags and sucks, tongue fat on the underside, dragging against them as Erwin fucks his mouh with his fingers. Erwin pushes them through Levi's hair once they're wet and guides his face down to his cock with an order of "suck" that Levi eagerly performs.

Erwin fucks him into the bed and licks at the stain of prussian blue on the inside of Levi's wrist. Lemon yellow found its way to Levi's jaw and Erwin scrapes his teeth over the skin so hard the paint's gone after. They roll each other around, hands smacking asses and grabbing with nails, kisses broken with gasps of pain from too much teeth. Erwin grunts as he pins Levi down and fucks him, short hard hrusts that Levi stutters moans through. 

Erwin pulls out, pulls the condom off and Levi licks the head of his cock while Erwin jerks himself until he comes in warm splashes over Levi's face. Levi doesn't open his eyes when Erwin finishes him in his mouth, not until Erwin wipes his face off. 

Levi complains Erwin smothers him with his hairy armpits when they sleep that night. He has Erwin pose with his arms bound above his head a week later. He fucks Erwin like that after, then stops to take pictures and says "thank you," and returns to his indignant boyfriend. "You're just so beautiful," he explains, running his hands over Erwin as he rocks into him like it's the easiest thing in the world. Erwin never finds paintings of himself around town.


	8. public transportation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> levi should watch what he says. or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For everyone who reads this, if you ever have prompts or want things to happen or, as you say in the comments, you like a particular AU and want to see more of it, feel free to message me at: stillmadaboutpetra.tumblr.com
> 
> I can write ficlets for you or turn them into drabbles idc i have a lot of spare time this summer.

Avoiding eye contact and knowing what the fuck you're doing make up the most important parts of public transportation. The thoughts that cycle through Levi's mind 90% of the time on the DC Metro are: Get the fuck out of my way and don't fucking look at me. Hanji assures him it's normal. 

"This fucking guy needs to hold his kid's goddamn hand. We're in the middle of the fucking metro, the kid's like three. Jesus, why do morons procreate. Why are stupid people getting laid and I'm not," he all but narrates a stream of conscious to Hanji as he waits for the green line to come in. 

"You're not getting laid? What happened to the dude with the nice car?"

Levi groans, glancing at the electronic sign. Seven minutes yet. "He was so fucking boring. In bed and out. He didn't even have good magazines in his bathroom. I had to take a shit and it was so fucking boring, all he had was an engineering magazine. I wanna read celebrity gossip or about the benefits of going gluten free, not about sustainable energy."

The guy standing next to Levi covers his laugh with a cough. Levi glances up, sees Tall and Gorgeous. He looks away before TaG (yes hot stranger has an acronym immediately) can make eye contact. Rule breaking.

Hanji laughs at him. "Maybe he's efficient at pooping."

"No way," Levi says, going back to the conversation with Hanji. "The articles were too long. He's taking 3 page shits. I don't wanna fuck a guy who takes that long to shit, it's unpredictable."

Okay now he can feel TaG staring, side-eyeing him. Levi looks at his shoes, aware that he's being eavesdropped on. "What about that marathon runner?"

"He dumped me because I like to give blow jobs too much and he thinks I need therapy."

Hanji screeches. "Are you kidding? How is that a flaw? You're perfect, keep sucking those dicks."

Levi smirks. TaG isn't even pretending to text on his phone anymore. Nope. All attention on Levi. "No, yeah, my cock sucking turned him off. I think he's embarrassed cause I got him to come too quickly from it."

"Gross. Let's go to Clide's tonight, maybe you can find someone there."

The three year old being neglected wanders past Levi. The dad did nothing, letting the toddler amble two feet from the train track. "Hold on, Hanji -- HEY, come get your kid. Yeah, yeah you," Levi points at the toddler. "Runaway child over here."

Neglectful Dad looks pissed and everyone looks embarrassed and awkward. Levi decides that not knowing what the fuck you're doing trumps his issues with eye contact right now because this stupid kid is gonna get kidnapped or run over. 

"You have a problem with me?" Neglectful Dad asks, stomping over to Levi who sneers.

"Gonna pick a fight right now or go get your damn kid because she's getting more supervision from that old Asian couple than you."

It's true. An old Asian couple does look very concerned about the curious toddler investigating their grocery bags. Neglectful Dad glares but surrenders to retrieving his child and Levi rolls his eyes, brought the phone back up.

"Hey."

"Oh my god, please get here before you murder someone."

"If I kill anyone it was in preservation of sanity. Stock up on Sangria, I need to be drunk soon. You're all wasted already aren't you?"

"Yeah pretty much, but Erwin's coming so you guys can pound cups together."

"Who the fuck is Erwin?"

"Nanaba's boyfriend's friend."

Sigh. Friends of friend's romantic partners. "He hot?" He better be eye candy. He hears Hanji in the background ask Mike and Nana if Erwin is hot. Levi hears two affirmations.

"Is he gay?"

Hanji barks a laugh. "Mike says he swings that way when he wants."

"Nana isn't allowed to care if I fuck Mike's friend then cause hot and queer are my beacon signals."

The lights by the tracks blink. "I'll see you in a bit. Get wine."

"Yeah yeah. Bye."

It isn't crowded inside, but Tall and Gorgeous sits in front of Levi and twists in his seat. Levi frowns at him. He might be a thirsty hoe but interacting with complete strangers on the metro is not among his desires. 

"I'm Erwin," this ridiculously attractive man says and Levi gives him a slow blink.

"Uh-huh." Yeah, okay buddy.Levi's stomach turns with discomfort at the interaction. It's unpleasant because the guy is blatantly admitting to eavesdropping and now trying to initiate something. Levi knows he said some revealing things on the phone and really hopes this doesn't turn into a scene.

"No, really. I'm Erwin Smith." He smiles, all charming and understanding, straight white teeth. He holds up his phone and it's a text conversation between him and yup, Mike Zacharias. Levi sees a line of 'tiny hottie talking about BJs and shitting next to me.'

Levi's pretty sure Erwin being Erwin is worse than Erwin being not-Erwin.

"Oh." The train lurches into movement. Levi looks to the side then back to Erwin. Cornflower blue eyes. Direct eye contact. "God I need to be drunker for this."

Erwin at least laughs and that's a comfort. "We will be soon." Levi doesn't respond, just sighs. There go his chances for making out. Unintentional over share. Christ. But Erwin stays twisted around in his seat, swaying with the motion of the train. "If it makes you feel any better, you're cuter than Mike and Nana said you were."  
The pleasant tingle of a blush pinches at his cheeks. Levi tries not to notice. "They must have undersold me."

"They didn't." 

Levi doesn't mind eye contact on the Metro too much right then.


	9. erwin is the only one who looks for him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a mission

It's only been a few weeks since Levi really came to them. He doesn't socialize very much, and Erwin really never knows where the thug spends his time. He wonders if it's spent mourning, but Levi doesn't seem like the sort of man to hang onto grief. Levi wraps himself in scowls and reservations, too coarse and blunted from a hard life. Erwin thinks that, as much as his aptitude in 3DMG, will save him out in the field. He wants Levi for their torch, already imagines himself as Commander with a blade like that to wield. 

He quiets these hopes each mission; it doesn't do to dream so high and bright. Levi maintains a position of forward right, in a heavy hit zone but not a direct lead. He isn't a squad leader, but no one thinks him a regular cadet either. 

Erwin isn't the only one who sees Levi as a vanguard. The soldiers around him ride with their chins high, crouched atop their thundering mounts. Erwin lasts sees Levi as nothing more than a green cloak and the emblem of wings blown out behind him. After that, Erwin can spare him no thoughts. He asked the cold void of emptiness where some people kept their God that he deliver Levi safely. Other names too, of course, as Erwin always did, asking too much and mostly out of respect rather than real expectation.

 

The right forward squad fires off back flares. Shadis turns them away with green and Erwin can spare them no thoughts, turning his horse to the left and catching the rare cooridinated running of an aberrant, the menacing of another two Titans. 

Erwin only ever prays out of respect, no expectation. This is the cost of the future. In the center, supplies rattle on the same cart that has blood stains in the wood from shipping bodies back. They retreat in the afternoon, before it can get dark. They all notice the gap in the formation, horses ride up to fill the blanks. Names, faces, memories, they surface and get pushed under. Grief may come once the gates shut behind them, but for now, they must stay on guard. Erwin turns his head, searching. Levi is not a friend, but he is...he was a comrade. 

 

"Commander," someone yells, and they turn as they hear it to see the smoke hanging in the air. White. A second one. Two soldiers out there, in need. Everyone has a name they think first. Erwin knows he's the only one who hopes it's Levi. The only one who cares enough to put him first, who knows that they need him absolutely. 

Shadis asks for volunteers. "I won't send anyone back who doesn't want to, but the path was clear coming in." They're likely without horses, trying to make it back on foot.

Erwin volunteers and he is enough to get three others to join them, Hanji all but shrugging as she agrees to join the rescue. 

 

At first they're just a blob in the distance, one shape. Then as the rescue squad draws closer, they see the two shapes of soldiers holding each other up. They look like children, and it can only be Nifa and Levi. Levi lifts an arm - Nifa has a makeshift sling holding her right arm to her chest. Levis cloak had been torn for it, the silver and blue of wings hugging the corner of Nifa's elbow.

He is as small as a child with his arms around Erwin's waist, them on a saddle together. He adds barely anything to the horse, but Erwin knows it's enough to slow them down should a chase ensue. "I didn't think anyone would come back for us," he admits, the thought almost lost in the sound of hooves. Erwin thinks he could breathe in so deep that his chest might break Levi's hold on him. Levi needs to hold on tighter.

"You know you're worth more than that." To the cause. Levi has already shown to be worth more on the field than whole squads. Levi doesn't respond, and Erwin wonders if he would have volunteered to come find these soldiers if he hadn't been hoping to find Levi, whole and fighting. 

 

Erwin blinks and they are safe and sound inside, for another day. Levi walks with Nifa to get her arm set, and Erwin sees him out that evening with soldiers. Erwin sits at another table with Mike and Hanji and a few other officers. 

The beer comes before Levi, but eventually Levi appears at his side and tells Erwin to "shove over" and Erwin finds himself close to this dark flame of hope. 

"Get a new cloak from inventory," Erwin says before he forgets. Levi doesn't take anything without someone prompting him, like he's afraid his hands will be smacked away from what now belongs to him.

Levi pushes a beer at Erwin, his own meager wages spent in this gesture of thanks that Erwin knows can be hard to say. "I don't know where that is."

"I'll show you," Erwin says after he swallows half the pint, Levi watching with an impressed looked. Levi nods and looks down and doesn't seem to mind when Erwin squeezes his shoulder. "I wouldn't know how to find you without those wings."

Levi scoffs and Erwin rubs his back, withdraws his touch right after he realizes he's rubbed circles over Levi's spine because Levi looks at him with an expression he can't parse and the beer sits heavy in his stomach. 

Levi barely touches his arms, a ghost of fingers like he didn't mean to, but Erwin turns his head. Levi's lower lip pushes up at his top one and Erwin can't imagine Levi knows the sort of face he's making. "We better get me that cloak fast then," Levi says, slow and innocent. Erwin nods. Levi knows Erwin thought of him, he knows.


	10. bad by wale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon requested: something based on bad by wale?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anon, i wasnt entirely sure what you wanted. I went with "players who act like they don't care but they do. Rough sex and bad communication. "
> 
> Nsfw

When Erwin first sees Levi, he doesn't know him, but Levi is the prettiest thing in the room. A pale face, dark hair, eyes like he means to burn the world and he has men turning to ashes at his feet. Since then, Erwin has known Levi more than his fair share of times.

Tonight, Levi gets pulled in an officer's lap, lavender skirt pushed up his thighs. Erwin burns with want and jealousy to see the dancer turning a flirtatious smile on a someone else. Levi stays cool under the attention, posed so pretty on a man's lap. The tinkling jewelry of silver that webs from a ring on his toe to an anklet flashes light, ornaments on his fine body. 

Erwin watches Levi walk off with the officer in toe like he means to mangle the man. Erwin counts them gone half an hour before the officer returns from backstage, flushed and disheveled, shirt still half undone and a walk like he'd been to war. 

Levi appears on the stage, candles lining the edge. He is pink and glowing as he dances, and Erwin wonders how he can move in such a way. Levi flows into a routine that makes him sway along to the metalic drumbeat. His bare feet lead heel first, and the tall vase on his head continues its balancing act. Erwin imagines pulling Levi onto his cock with a powerful grip, bruising hipbones. He would make Levi throw his head back and scream, wreck him, cripple him until this sensual dance became impossible for his worn body.

Levi bows at the waist. He holds his head straight, looks out at the crowd, playful. There are two razor thin swords that he picks up and now Erwin watches for something entirely different. 

Levi moves like a flash, twirling one blade like he means to behead himself but instead he knocks the vase off his head. He catches it on the flat of both swords, one pink-soled foot struck out towards the crowd, the rest of him balanced perfectly on one leg. A smattering of applause preludes Levi flicking the vase into the air then in a whirl slices it clean in three. He barely catches the bottom of the vase back on his head and the cylindrical rings fall onto his sword like a child's game of hoops.

The practice and dedication that little act must take...Levi flows through a few sword motions and Erwin can't find any awkwardness in his hands or his body. He's completely in tune with himself, grace in each muscle and ligament. Levi bows with his swords and the crowd wants more dancing. His fierceness is a spectacle to them, that he could slay them all Erwin doesn't doubt. But men want to hold his slender neck down into a bed and drive into that flexible body like Levi is a dreamed vessel of pleasure that they can tame at their own will.

When Levi leaves backstage at the end of the performance, and the night has settled heavily, people begin to trail out. The officer from earlier and his buddies remain, probably hoping for Levi to come take a fancy to them again. Erwin doesn't waste time and goes around back, nodding to the drummer who knows Erwin's face by now, and knocks on Levi's door. 

"Levi," he says, enters without invitation and locks the door behind him. Levi's skirt is throne into a basket and his jewelry hangs from hooks at the dresser. A folding screen seperates the room into a private courter.

Water splashes. The air smells like sweet citrus. "Captain Smith, I was wondering if you'd pay me a visit."

Erwin blows out a breath and steps around the edge of the screen, finding Levi in a small claw foot tub, mostly submged aside from the tops of his knees and his head and shoulders. He sees the quick motion of Levi removing his hand from between his legs. "You saw me here and ignored me," Erwin says with unhappy twist to his mouth though he should know better than to expect attention from Levi with any regularity. Levi flicks water at him.

"And you didn't send me a glass of wine all evening and now you barge into my dressing room without so much as a flower or invitation." Levi almost seems mad but mostly it's his usual annoyed attitude that means nothing. The world shat upon Levi and he lacks the finesse of kindness for it.

"Like you mind." Erwin stands beside the tub and looks down at his naked form with appreciation. "I've never seen you use swords like that." 

Levi rolls his eyes and waves a dismissive hand at him, looking away. "Yes you have." 

No, Erwin thinks, he hasn't. Levi has played with swords before but not as swords, as props. Tonight showed a talent that makes Erwin as hungry for Levi as any other part of the young man's body. Erwin hums and kneels down beside the tub, and this makes Levi look at him, expression unreadable. "What are you doing tonight?"

"I'm seeing someone." Someone he was preparing himself for in the water before Erwin interrupted that.

"And after? "

"You dog, begging for scraps," Levi hisses, splashing enough water over the edge of the tub to soak the front of Erwin's shirt. "He'll keep me all night." 

"Tomorrow?" Erwin asks, holding Levi's wrists together so he can't be splashed anymore. Levi bares his teeth.

"I'll be too sore to take your horse cock, so you won't get anything from me." Erwin knows that Levi has taken him before when he was sore, sore from other men, from Erwin himself. Levi lies when he acts like the pain doesn't make it better. 

"Then now," Erwin suggests with a smirk.

Levi stares at him, gobsmacked at Erwins audacity. "I can't, you ruin me." Erwin tuts and pets Levi's cheek, his hair. He slides his hand into the water, uncaring of his wet sleeve, and finds Levi's petite cock, caresses down to his hole. Levi holds his breath and glares as Erwin rubs over it with a finger.

"Let me help you, Levi." Erwin kisses him, but Levi doesn't open his mouth to it. Not until Erwin presses into him, finger working to open the vice of muscle. Levi clenches then gives over, letting his mouth and body open. Erwin shoves his finger up into Levi and licks the whine that spills from his throat in response. 

Erwin fingers him, kisses him. Levi gasps into his mouth and bites like he's angry, but he nods his head eagerly when Erwin rubs a second finger against his hole and moans as he's opened more. Water sucks inside and out of his body, his stomach twitching and tightening with pleasure. The tub traps him bit eventually he gets his legs out and throws them over the sides, abandoning his charade of indifference to Erwin. Erwin holds Levi's wrists with his one hand and digs two fingers into Levi's prostate so he all but screams.

"Let me go, you fuck, touch me," Levi curses him, his cock stiff in the water. Levi can't even fuck back onto Erwin's fingers like he wants to. He's left panting and begging with kisses while Erwin twists and thrusts his fingers inside him.

"See me tomorrow," Erwin demands when he wants to beg and finally, finally, Levi nods, "yes, fuck, fine" so Erwin lets him go and Levi reaches into the water, jerks off with a hiss. Erwin touches him through it, feels him shudder and clench from the inside. Levi shoves him away after, rising in the water.

"You've ruined my bath. Don't laugh at me, I hate you." Levi stomps out past him and Erwin swishes his hand clean through the water and follows to steal the corner of the towel Levi uses to dry off. Erwin's clothes are wet and unpleasant now but he can't seem to mind.

"I'll see you," he tells Levi, kissing possession onto the crown of Levi's head and earning another murderous look. 

 

Levi does come to him the next night, but far later than Erwin anticipates. He'd begun to think Levi wouldn't, and the rejection hurt more than he expected. If Levi agrees to a request of his, he always follows through. Levi does as poorly at ignoring Erwin as Erwin does at not begging for Levi. 

Knocking wakes Erwin from a sleeps he's only just found, and he takes the oil lamp to the door. Levi sighs at the sight of him. "I don't know why I even come to see you."

Erwin draws him in by the hand and sits him at the table with flowers and wine set out. Levi touches the soft petals, looks at Erwin with a raised eyebrow. Erwin asks him if he's eaten lately.

"Just feed me, don't make this so difficult." 

He tells Levi that he's too tired to have sex and can't tell if relief or hurt flashes across Levi's face. "If I walked all the way here..." Levi growls but let's up when Erwin takes him into bed, into his arms.

"Stay," Erwin soothes, pets Levis hair. 

"For how long," Levi asks.

"How long do you want to? It's up to you." Levi doesn't answer and Erwin knows he isn't asleep. The quiet of night smells sweet when Erwin tucks his nose into Levi's hair, and the morning sweeter when he wakes to the tickle of a kiss.


	11. regaining

Levi falls at training, and it's by luck that another cadet manages to catch him before he can hit the ground. He blinks as his fellow cadet sets him on the ground, means to ask what happened but instead bends down and vomits until he thinks he might suffocate. Predictably, a fair amount of chaos follows, as they are teenagers, and Levi complains about the taste in his mouth while one of the trainers carries him to medical. 

Erwin doesn't find any of his out until dinner. Actual Corp trains at a different facility than the cadets, obviously, so really the news has no reason to find him yet. Hell, gossip of a sick cadet isn't very interesting. But it's Levi and Levi is Erwin's boy. 

"Did you visit Levi?" Hanji asks him almost immediately. "How is he?"

"I haven't seen him since the other day." Erwin means to check on him after dinner and see if he'd like to play chess or cards. He makes it a point to continue investing in the boy after recruiting him. Levi blooms well under a little attention, seems to enjoy showing off for Erwin in any way while pretending like Erwin and his praise are nuisances. 

"Oh. Will you? Tell him to feel better from me, ask him if he shits out any worms to document it."

As if that isn't enough to turn Erwin from dinner, finding out Levi nearly died at training has Erwin trekking to medical. It takes a little convincing the desk attendant to tell him where Cadet Levi is being held before Erwin can get to him.

Levi lays on a slim medical cot behind a curtain. He's on his side, fetal position, sweating and red. He blinks at Erwin, eyes not quite focused, and closes them again. "This is your fault," he pants, sucking harsh breaths.

Fever and a stomach wringing itself out in any way it can. Erwin brushes sweaty hair from Levi's hot cheek and feels the scald of his skin. "I'm sorry." Erwin can't do anything for him though and watches Levi struggle with discomfort for a minute before Levi mumbles for him to go. No, Levi wouldn't want company now, would he? 

Levi doesn't get better. The doctors tell Erwin they're giving Levi medicine and tryin to keep his fluids up and temperature down. Erwin wipes down Levi's face with a cold rag while Levi shivers and sweats. 

"I feel disgusting," Levi sighs, head lolling into Erwin's palm where Erwin cups his cheek. "Dirty." Erwin doubts being wiped down makes Levi feel clean. He looks pathetic. Erwin won't have it. He pushes Levi down gently and blows cool air across his damp forehead. 

"I'll have them prepare a bath." 

It goes well until Levi vomits in the water. Then the nurses scold him as they try to clean his shaking form up. 

"I've decided I'm dying," Levi tells Erwin. He's sitting up in bed, back against the wall. Aside from harsh color in his cheeks, the rest of his face has gone pale. The white pajamas on him have already gotten dark under his arms from sweat but Levi shivers in little tremors. "Feed me to a Titan. Like bait."

"I never took you as dramatic," Erwin huffs like he hasn't considered the same thing. Levi dying, not the Titan bait part. He sits on the edge of the bed, drinkig tea. Levi lifts the cup to his cracked lips occasionally, but it takes effort. Whatever hit him hit him hard.

"Do Titans have taste buds," Levi asks. Erwin tells him it's doubtful, and he doesn't want to find out.

"I wonder what I taste like." He sips he tea, lets his head nod back and thunk against the wall. Closes his eyes. "Probably shitty."

"Probably," Erwin agrees and puts a pillow behind Levi. Has he done this to Levi? Brought him into the way of some sickness? If Levi had fallen sick on the streets, he'd be dead, no dedicated nurse feeding him cups of water and bread soaked in broth.

This goes on for more than a week. Erwin visits multiple times a day, and Levi at times can barely tell him to fuck off. "I've shat out my own organs," he jokes wearily, voice scratchy from vomiting. Erwin pets his limp hair, traces his eyebrows and nose. Such a little face, his boy has. He's thin as a rail now. 

"Erwin," tears stand in his eyes, "I don't want to be sick." 

Erwin can do nothing. He brings balm for Levi's lips. "Fight for me, Levi. Fight as you always have." Levi promises he will. Erwin stays when the fever breaks, but leaves before Levi comes to his senses. His boy begged in a fevered haze for him, and Erwin nurses him better so that he can fight Titans.

The next time Erwin comes, the nurses say Levi kept everything down today. He's been on broth for days. And then Erwin comes and Levi tells Erwin himself he kept down bread. Then some cooked vegetables. He eats gentle foods and sleeps now without waking.

He recovers steadily and Erwin brings him extra food when he visits. Levi bemoans the damage to his body, the new gauntess. When he changes, slow and careful, into clean clothes, Erwin sees, weirdly, a roll of pudge on Levi's emaciated stomach. He touches it before he can stop himself. 

"What the fuck." Levi loses his balance in surprise and falls onto the bed. Laying down, the roll disappears. His ribs, even his sternum, stand out starkly against pale skin, but the definition of his abs has waned down. Erwin strokes a hand down Levi's stomach with a critical eye. Erwin catches himself and withdraws his hand, Levi's embarrassed face making him frown.

"Nothing." He helps Levi up and excuses himself to talk to the doctor. They put Levi on vitamins. Erwin sneaks him smoked salted fish. Levi says it's the best thin he's ever eaten. 

After a week of solid improvement, Erwin puts Levi up in his living quarters. It isn't as though Levi can resume training right now. Instead, Levi works on his penmenship and sleeps an awful lot. Levi eats in small portions, and the meals round his belly out. The inactivity softens Levi as he works to put weight back on. 

Erwin explores him one night when Levi feels good. Levi stands in his underwear between Erwin's legs where he sits on the bed. It isn't a huge change, not one Erwin might notice if he didn't see naked bits of Levi's body.But running his hands down Levi's body now, he feels the gentlest of give from a layer of fat. Levi turns a delicious shade of pink when Erwin kneads his thighs.

"You're messed up."

"You're cute," Erwin counters. They strip and curl up together. Levi breathes easily, content, while Erwin rubs his body. Levi kisses Erwin for the first time in weeks, and his mouth is soft too. Levi feels luxurious, small and warm. He fucks Levi's thighs while Levi kneels on hands and knees on the bed, Erwin standing off it. His ass has a new weight too, dimples sweetly when Erwin squeezes it. He imagines spoiling Levi with milk so rich in fat it's gold and fruit tarts and roasted duck. Things he can't afford. He can't afford to spoil Levi, and his body isn't meant for it anyway.

Later, in bed, Levi yawns and snuffles into Erwin's neck and asks, "When did the doctor say I can go back to training?"

"Soon." He plans to enjoy the illusion of how an easy life looks on Levi's body for as long as he can.


	12. the skinny jeans fiasco

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anon requested Erwin tying to wear Levis skinny jeans and getting stuck  
> P much crack

Logic. Logic could have prevented this whole situation. Unforunately, the power of Levi's ass actually made Erwin think irrational thoughts. Thoughts like "I bet I can fit into Levi's jeans." Erwin can get into Levi's pants, but fit into his jeans, not so much. Really, he attempted to squirm his way into Levi's second hand Diesel skinny jeans out of curiosity. They made Levi's ass look fantastic, had a little hole in the back pocket that Erwin like to poke his finger through to annoy Levi. Erwin just wanted to try.

The legholes barely got around his giant feet and the denim sucked at his shins, looking painted on. He pulled the jeans up, over knees, and then halfway up his thighs, he ran out of material. The seams strained around him, the waist stretched between each tree trunk thick thigh. 

It was worth a shot. Erwin sighed. Levi looked so cute when he borrowed Erwin's clothes. It wasn't fair.

The attempt to take the jeans off caused Erwin to unbalance in their bedroom and topple over onto the floor, legs obviously bound and useless, hands catching his weight heavily, rug burning his palms.

"Erwin?" Erwin heard from below in a surprisingly concerned voice. 

"I'm okay!" He called to Levi, swearing and trying to wiggle out of the pants. He yanked and heard somethig rip, froze. Heartbeat. Kept pulling, trying to fit his foot back through the narrow legholes and wondering how he got ito this in the first place.

The door opened. "Babe, did you fa..ll..."

Erwin looked up guiltily from the floor, feet still trapped in Levi's jeans. Levi blinked slowly, reached into his pocket and whipped out his phone.

"Levi! Don't, come on," Erwin cried, trying to lunge at his boyfriend and tripping, knees hitting the floor. Erwin flopped down in his underwear, groaned at Levi's snickering. He was a broken man.

"Come on, big guy, you can do it," Levi teased, still recording as Erwin rolled over and stuck his feet into the air like a baby, flipping him off. Levi reached out with one hand and grabbed a pantleg, pulling while Erwin kicked free. He let his newly bare legs collapse on the ground.

"Best surprise strip tease," Levi concluded, putting his phone away. He inspected his pants and frowned at the unacceptably large hole in the butt now. "Well, you're fat ass ruined them."

Erwin apologized, ran his hand through his hair to regain composure, dignity, things he didn't have. "I don't know why I did that, I just wanted to see if I could." Evidently not. 

"Are you very sorry?" Levi asked, folding the jeans and settig them on the bed. He crossed to his dresser.

"I am. The most sorry," Erwin promised, sitting on the bed. "Please don't show anyone that video." He really was sorry too because he loved when Levi wore those jeans.

"I won't, but you gotta make it up to me." Levi held up a pair of his white boxer briefs, the colour perfectly starched. "Start with the basics if you want to wear my clothes."

Erwin smiled nervously, embarrassment shifting now. "You aren't serious." But the glint jn Levi's eyes said he was very serious. Levi stalked towards Erwin and stood in front of him, kissed him. Erwin leaned into it, knowing Levi wasn't mad but still wanted petty revenge.

 

The underwear hurt to wear. The elastic didn't stretch enough and the legholes cut into the tender parts of Erwin's thigh right where it became his groin. The waistband didn't come high enough to remotely cover his pubic hair and it cinched so tightly that it produced love handles. His cock and balls bulged obscenely in the front and his ass, too big for the little briefs, strained the white fabic so thinly that his crack produced a noticeable shadow.

Levi scraped his nails down the crotch of them and Erwin sucked in his bottom lip, shivered. Levi smirked. "Finish getting dressed, we need to go shopping."


	13. college fuck. pwp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PwP. Erwin gets a little help with dirty talk

He first met Levi in a political theory class. Technically they had a gen ed together as fresman but they didn't talk. No. In political theory, Erwin suddenly realized Levi's existence when Levi told the professor to shut the fuck up. Really, Levi said "don't interupt me when I'm talking" and shut down that old "fart bag" and instantly made a name for himself. Erwin couldn't ignore him after that.

Erwin asked him if he wanted to go to a party to celebrate a win at the swim meet and Levi had looked him up and down, stared at Erwin's seersucker shorts (Erwin later realized you could see the outline of his junk through them when he sat down) and said, with a whistle, "boy howdy, that sounds swell" and walked off.

Erwin told Levi that he liked how he didn't take shit from anyone. Levi told Erwin that he liked that he could pop the tab on a beer with one finger and "wonder what else you can do." Erwin showed him.

They weren't dating exactly, but they hooked up. Frequently. And stayed in each other's beds and usually got hungover breakfast together, grunting around sausage and pancakes. But Levi...had a reputation. He didn't take any shit so Erwin never expected him to be the kind of guy who liked being degraded. Erwin learned a lot about himself fucking Levi.

"Do you like that?" He asked, kissing Levi while he rolled his hips into him, cock sinking into that impossibly tight hole. Levi nodded and Erwin dared to go on, trying out this dirty talk thing that Levi said he liked. "Like my boner?"

Levi laughing was really uncalled for. Erwin pulled out and Levi sat up, choking on the words "boner" and "what are you twleve."

"Levi," Erwin snapped, hurt. Embarrassed mostly. Levi was a whole other level of wild and Erwin really tried, okay? Levi quieted and cuddled close, kissing Erwin's shoulder and saying in that sticky sweet voice of his "I'm sorry, Erwin." Erwin kept up a frown even after Levi moved onto his knees on the ground, pushed his head against Erwin's thigh affectionately.

"Say cock, Erwin."

"Cock," Erwin grumbled. Levi tsked and pulled the condom off of him and licked him from balls to tip.

"I like cock," Levi coaxed. "I like you and your cock." He suckled at the tip and Erwin swore, reached to pet his hair. Fuck, Levi. Pink kissed mouth like a dewey poppy flower. Everyone said he was fucking raunchy in bed but Erwin hadn't known what to expect. Every surpise thrilled him but it took some practice to get it how Levi like. But if this showed anything, it showed Levi as patient and guiding.

"Do you?....like cock?" Erwin asked, swallowing, the question stupid and redundant. Levi took him in a few inches and nodded, eyes big as he stared up. He popped off and licked away a dribble of spit and precum that dripped down Erwin's shaft.

"Yeah. Love your cock. It's so big, I can barely get it in my mouth." He worked Erwin's base with his hand. Erwin looked at him for help and Levi drug his tongue up the side of him. "Do you like fucking my mouth with your cock?"

God did he. Hed been so scared that first time Levi went down on him. Levi had been so eager and took the breath from Erwin, never gave it back. "Yeah. Know you love it," Erwin said. Levis eyes fell shut part way and he nodded. Erwin combed his fingers through Levi's hair and gripped a handful, used to to shove Levi forward onto his cock so the head slid down his throat. Levi didn't try to resist. He swallowed around Erwin, and Erwin heard as much as felt the initial gag, his throat squeezing tightly, stuffed full. "You're always so happy to take it."

The words made his blood pulse, head spin. Levi moaned and Erwin felt the vibrations go up his spine. He jerked his hips forwatd and slid down levis throat completely. Erwin hissed and stared down at where he speared Levi's mouth wide on his cock, and Levi sucked the best he could, nails scraping down Erwin's thighs. 

"You like this," Erwin said more confidently, petting Levi's hair, letting go so Levi could bob and deepthroat him at his own pace. Nodding and moaning happily, his face stuffed with cock, lips stretched thin around Erwin, the corners almost pale from strain. People had told Erwin Levi was a size queen and he saw no evidence to think otherwise.

He touched Levi's throat to feel his cock distending it. It almost killed him.

Levi took care of him methodically but passionately, truly seeming to love choking on Erwin's dick. Erwin held on tight, watching Levi - "fuck, Levi" hold him down his throat until tears streamed from his eyes. Levi let Erwin slide from his mouth with a wet suck and nuzzled up into his pubes like a kitten begging for attention. He was a wet dream, he was what Erwin thought of in his dirtiest fantasies. He was real and licking Erwin balls.

"Get up here," He demanded with more authority than he felt but soon had a lapful of Levi kissing him. Erwin grabbed Levi and threw him down onto the bed, followed with a kiss and exalted in Levi's encouraging moan. A little time out, but they still had it. Levi rubbed himself up into Erwin, and the slide of his hard little cock felt sweet, approving. Levi wanted Erwin, and that knowledge was enough to make Erwin feel infinite.

"Baby," Erwin tried and Levi hummed but he could do better. Erwin kissed his neck and up to his earlobe, air steaming between them. "Kitten,"and then Levi arched. "Kitten," Erwin repeated, a shiver cracking down him like salt-water ice, "my sweet kitten, your hole still feel empty?"

And god, saying hole. Talking to Levi like that, condescending and depraved and coated with lecherous sweetness. Levi fucking meweled and nodded and kissed Erwin's chin. His eyes were hooded and heavy with arousal, totally rapt on Erwin. "Yes. Yes I'm so empty." 

Erwin held his breath as Levi pawed and rutted at him, dragging small hands and nails down his back. Levi left a trail of fire in the wake of his touch. "Need you, Erwin," in that voice of his, like he wanted to have to sop a puddle of Erwin up after because Erwin melted.

"Roll over," Erwin cleared his throat, face burning, cock throbbing. He kissed Levi's nose, fond. Fuck, fond, liked Levi and what he did to him way too much. "Show me."

Levi put on a little show of shyness but eventually flipped onto his belly, buried his face into a pillow. Erwin palmed his cheeks, squished them together then finally spread them. Levi popped his rump into the air and wiggled a little. "Here, kitten?" Erwin asked, his own cock leaking onto the bed in excitement.

Levi was dark between his cheeks, hole still peeked open from Erwin fucking him minutes ago. Lube glossed the skin. A moment passed and Erwin watched it twitch, gaping just a little. Fuck. Fuck, that sinful deep red inside. He leaned in and kissed right over it before he could stop himself, felt the hot puckered skin under his lips.

"Erwin!" Levi jolted in his hands and Erwin kissed up his spine, pressed him down. 

"God, Levi," Erwin explained, "you're perfect" and let it go when Levi relaxed under him. For a moment they layed still, Erwin on top and Levi comfortably tucked beneath him. But erections were stiff and demanding and eventually Erwin pulled Levi onto his hands and knees.

"About goddamn time," Levi said loud enough to hear and Erwin slammed back into him in punishment. Levi groaned and steadied himself as Erwin used him with new unchecked mercilessness, hips snapping in to meet his ass. 

Levi, still so goddamn tight, clenching and moaning, was enough to lose himself in. Better than before. Hotter, wetter. "Can I spank you?" He asked, a little choked, and when Levi nodded, let his hand smack the side of Levi's ass. Hesitant. Levi pushed back onto his cock and looked over his shoulder for more.

Erwin bit his lip and hit harder, when he pulled out. Palm landing on the curve of Levi's cheek and Levi grunted. "More. Hit me." And then Erwin did, with a growl, pulled out completely and pushed Levi's small body down to hit his ass. The fat jiggled and turned red.

"Oh fuck, Erwin," Levi cried and the strike of Erwin's palm on him rang loud in the room. Erwin grabbed and squeezed after the blows, wrang a whimper from Levi. Erwin looked down to admire the stung heart of Levi's ass and realized he never put a condom back on. "Levi, I forgot. The condom."

Levi rolled over onto his back, frowned at Erwin's dick then reached up to pull Erwin down for a kiss. "Get me messy, you're forgiven," and Erwin knew when those words struck him with a sharp, burning pang that it was he who was fucked.

After, they layed in bed. Levi wanted to shower while Erwin wanted to keep touching Levi's hot hole. Levi trembled when Erwin scissored him, shifted his legs as semen leaked out. "That's goddamn disgusting," Levi spat though he put up no resistance.

"I'm weirdly fascinated," Erwin admitted. It was the first time going bareback and the idea of filling Levi up like that stroked a base pride inside him. He pulled Levi close and cuddled him. "Kitten."

Levi snorted and elbowed him gently."Don't get any ideas with that, that's just pillow talk. I'll beat your ass if you try to pull shit anywhere else."

Erwin kissed his cheek, privileged, and murmured an assuranced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Should probs wear a condom when doin it in the butthole


	14. tanlines - anon request

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> erwin has tan lines but its really hot like such a turn on 4 levi...levi only gets red and sunburned like me...what a loser. basically erwin appreciaton prompt?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nsfw. Levi rims erwin like a champ.

When your boyfriend invites you to his beach house time share, you don’t tell him no. You don’t tell him you hate the beach, that God invented sand to get in your asshole and on your neves, that seagulls are small Dante demons, seaweed the nightmare of dark water, and unwatched devious children your greatest fear. You smile and kiss him and hope to god he forgets what he asked you while you suck his brains out through his cock.

If you’re Levi, this never works out because Erwin dreams, fucking dreams of taking you away from your stressful job. “We both need it. It’ll be so nice, sleep in, take drinks down to the water.” He finds that ticklish spot inside Levi’s thigh where he says he taste like white chocolate. “Show off that little beach body.”

God bless him, he’s a treasure.

Four days. Four days they’re at the beach. No matter what precautions Levi takes, they get sand in the bed. One single fucking grain weges in his asscrack so the whole time Erwin fucks him and talks about how he smells like the wild sea, all Levi can think about is becoming a clam and turning the sand into a pearl.

Erwin is a treasure. He attracts little kids and people’s dogs. Levi holds onto his sanity and reads an entire book under the umbrella, very distracted by both Erwin and the heat. And the sand. He ventures out into the water a few times to cool off and float on the waves with Erwin. Until Erwin thinks it’d be hilarious to throw Levi. Then he retreats back to his towel and imitates a sea urchin for prickliness.

His stomach goes splotchy and red. Erwin toasts like a marshmellow, golden and delicious.

 

Erwin pulls down his swim trunks, careless and unassuming, and Levi watches as the bright gold of his skin turns to pale. Pale as he himself is. That splendid ass the colour of peaches and cream, dusted by little furs he wants to run his tonue over.

"Shit, babe," Levi marvels. Erwin turns, kicking his trunks free. Cock big and innocently pink set perfectly between the pale of his thighs. A few inches down the skin turned brown, faintly red. A crisp line of colour. Levi thinks, wildly positively sure, that the skin must taste different. He thinks of it with white come running down over the tanline, licking it all up and teething the seam of colour that wraps around Erwin’s muscled thigh.

"Goddamn, Erwin, come here," he demands. Erwin grins, the bastard, and walks to the doorway where Levi stands transfixed.

"Something you need?" He teases. Levi can barely pretend otherwise, cannot, already hard in his swimsuit. He drops to his knees and catches Erwin’s sharp inhalation. That drives him on to grip Erwin’s knee, run his hands against the grain of blonde hair till he frames the tanline. He kisses it reverently, mouths wetly where white greets splendid bronze.

"Levi," Erwin sighs, strokes his hand down Levi’s hair, holds him gently to his skin. Levi bites into his thigh, followed the sting with a feather light balm of kisses up to his pelvis, up to the next band of colour. Just the top edge of Erwin’s hipbone has tanned and Levi outright suckles on the corner of bone and skin. Look at his Erwin.

"Turn around, Erwin," Levi says, kissing at the tip of Erwin’s perking cock. Erwin smelled of the ocean. Levi wants to taste leagues of unexplored sea on him, inside him.

"What has gotten into you?" Erwin asks, not obeying, denying Levi. He hooks his thumb into Levi’s , mouth and Levi sucks it, giving Erwin a show, batting his lashes. Sweet little mouth on him, quicksilver tongue.

"I saw your ass, I want it," Levi says simply, flicking his tongue against the tip of Erwin’s thumb. Traces the edge of his fingernail and sucks salt from the grooves on the pad. "Come on big boy, hands against the wall, spread your legs. Make my fucking day."

Erwin laughs with red in his cheeks, cock raised up in proud delight. He crouches briefly to kiss Levi and tell him he amazing before doing as told like the good man he is. Levi barely gives him a chance to find his stance before he starts in on that sweet pale ass. Cups Erwin’s cheeks, the skin cool from his wet bathing suit. He spreads them and buries his face between, only smelling sea water and beneath that a layer of humanness, muddy and yet distinct to Erwin. He licks up and over Erwin’s dark pink hole and hears him grunt, feels him tense. Levi smirks and laps at him like waves at the shoreline, hating everything about the beach but loving everything about Erwin. About the weight of his cheeks in his hands, how the tan skin at the small of his back feels warm and smooth. Silky from sunscreen and buffed by salt water.

"Oh my god, " Erwin pants while Levi licks into him, swirling his tongue deeper into the ring of muscles. Erwin’s hole pinches his tongue, so he gives Erwin a pinch in return. Levi growls and bites, teeth dragging over Erwin’s taint; Erwin cries out so deliciously. Levi loves this, face buried deep between Erwin’s cheeks, Erwin sticking his ass out for more and sweating above him.

"You hard?" Levi asks when he pulls back to catch his breath and give his mouth a break. He knows Erwin is and reaches around to stroke him. Erwin is so smooth and hard in his hand, cock head wet and silky. Levi licks inside just to feel him twitch all over, in his hand and against his lips. "Touch yourself for me, Erwin. Come on this wall, want you to leave it for the next couple."

Erwin groans something filthy and Levi presses his palm down to his own cock, hisses, but returns to gripping Erwin scolding tight and spreading him. He fucks him with his tongue, tastes him, loves him as deeply as he can reach, sucks and slobbers like a Goddamn animal so that Erwin’s rim goes soft under his lips and his tongue gets welcomed inside. Erwin moans above him, pumping himself furiously, hips jerking back onto Levi’s face and forward into his fist. “Levi, Levi, fuck, baby fuck you’re killing me,” he chants.

Levi eats him up. Eats him out passionately, noisey sounds mingling with Erwin’s escalating breathing. Spit coats his face, and he sweats with the vigor of his actions, face smothered in Erwin's ass. Levi palms Erwin, squeezes his ass and when Erwin comes and tightens all over, he decorates where pale meets tan with blossoms of red and purple that may prompt Erwin to wear longer shorts and explore the board walk tomorrow.

Levi sits back on his ass and rubs his face with disgust. Erwin holds himself up against the wall, breathing hard. He shifts, reaches back and Levi groans when Erwin makes a come coated finger disappear inside himself. “That was….thorough,” Erwin chuckles, moving his finger in and out of his spitslick hole, a white smear filthy on the reddenned skin. “Want to fuck me now?”

"What kind of dumbass question is that?" Levi huffs, getting back onto his knees and spreading Erwin wide again. He needs a better view of Erwin’s tan hands touching himself, the pretty combination of pale and pink and golden skin. Levi licks up the come Erwin dirtied his rim with, swirls his tongue around it and Erwin’s finger so Erwin trembles under him.

"Stop that. Wash your mouth, get lube and a condom. I want to be able to kiss you."

Levi can’t say no to that. “Get in bed, peaches,” Levi teases with a smack to Erwin’s ass that adds another pretty splotch of colour to Erwin’s pale ass. Damn, he’s glad that hadn’t changed. He returns from the bathroom in record time and hops into their stupid sandy bed, nestles up between Erwin’s thighs and leans down to kiss him. “Can I come on your stomach?” Wants to see his come pull and run over those washboard abs.

Erwin hums a yes and pulls him close. “See, I told you a vacation would be good for you,” he smiles. “We can come back all year. The beach can be nice in the winter too.”

Levi buries his face into Erwin’s neck with a groan of despair that Erwin mistakes for excitement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My snk blog can be found at stillmadaboutpetra.tumblr.com where you're free to give prompts etc. Thank you for the feedback, I love it. ^^


	15. Graffiti part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a random follow up to the graffiti artist au

Levi, eventually, puts his art into a gallery. Petra's, of course. Somewhere between Erwin's encouragement, his friend's encouragement and of course Levi's constant need for money to "pay for all this fucking shit," (shit being his art supplies) drives the young man to submit a cohesive collection. He doesn't really think anything of publicizing it, but Petra gives Levi the largest room in her gallery, hires an event company to decorate then puts an ad in the paper. The promise of wine, snobbery and an aesthetically pleasing date night draws out quite the crowd -- Levi hadn't known his identity as the graffiti artist would also been blown. 

"I don't even want to go," he complains to Erwin, throwing a tantrum and lying in bed naked still. Levi knows he can get away with an attitude when he doesn't put on clothes. "I just want money."

"People will want to talk to you," Erwin says, earning a loud ugly groan from Levi. Okay, not the best approach. "People with money. Selling art is all about selling yourself."

"What are you, Wikihow?" Levi rolls, blue sheets tangled about his lower body like the sea. Erwin pauses in tying his tie, watching him in the reflection of the mirror. Levi, at every angle, enchants Erwin. Here now, he mopes, curled around a pillow, unassuming and unintentional, a little earthly star to follow, one Erwin wishes on with kisses. Levi directs a pout at his clothes hanging up Erwin's closet.

"Petra put in effort, now go get dressed," Erwin says with a tone of finality and pulls the knot of his tie to place. He hears a sigh, the creak of the bed. He looks away from the mirror and makes the mistake of thinking Levi has grown up and gone to dress himself. Before he can reach to dab cologne onto himself, wondering if Petra will mind that they'll be fashionably late to Levi's exhibit -- artists can do that, right? everyone knows they're moody -- Levi winds his arms around Erwin's waist.

"Let's put effort into getting you undressed," Levi suggests, fingering Erwin's belt buckle. 

"Not fair."

Levi slides the leather out from the buckle and it whispers in the loops of Erwin's slacks as he removes it. "I'm celebrating."

Yes, they're definitely going to be fashionably late.

 

Erwin's block loses power, so he doesn't bother going home. Despite a sufficient supply of electricity, Levi lights every candle he owns. 

"Smell that? That's After Rain, Sunflower, Vanilla Frosting, Grapefruit, four Cottons aaaand," he spins on the ball of his socked foot, pads over to check a label on another candle, "Rainforest."

The rest are non scented votives. The apartment glows in golds and moves with the irregular flicker of shadows. Erwin has no trouble seeing. Levi pours red wine. 

"I'm sorry I didn't go to book club yesterday," he says, kissing Erwin's mouth and leaving behind droplets of wine that Erwin licks away before he follows after Levi for another kiss.

"I didn't go either," Erwin admits. Levi grins.

"You're so bad."

Levi is only wearing one of Erwin's forgotten dress shirts and socks. He is the bad one, legs thrown over Erwin's lap so Erwin can pet the silk inside of his naked thighs. Levi closes his eyes when Erwin drags his nails over the skin hard enough to leave red marks that don't fade right away. 

When his hands finally wonder up into the warm crease of Levi's ass to tease him, he shouldn't be surprised to find the end of a plug protruding from his "bad, so naughty," boyfriend.

Levi rides him slowly, shirt and socks on, Erwin still dressed with just his cock out, filthy up Levi's ass. The air is warm and sweet with candles, intoxicating, their mouths bright with the flavor of wine and kisses. Oaky, thick. 

"Will you miss me while I'm in Germany," Erwin asks, head back on the couch, hands holding the curve of Levi's waist.

"Ja," Levi pants, then bites Erwin's neck. "Schneller."

"No clue what that means, love."

"Faster you fuck." 

 

 

Levi's only request is for Erwin to look at the art there and see if his might fit in. "Yes, I think so. You're dark enough for Germany." Erwin knows Levi has only gone to Canada before. He imagines setting Levi loose with his paints on the streets of a number of European countries. To take him out to some remote island and let him paint murals for only the clouds to see and wear away. 

 

Levi doesn't meet Erwin at the airport when he arrives home. They have no plans for it, but he won't lie and say he didn't imagine Levi leaping into his arms. A month passed. He missed Levi, misses him still. Levi got international calling just for him, but isn't one for phones. Barely texts. Erwin sent him photos regularly of anything he thought striking. And the mundane. Levi loves the mundane. 

Levi knows he's home but there isn't a text for Erwin. Erwin calls him.

"Hello?" He has caller ID, shouldn't sound so confused.

"Levi," Erwin says soft and warm in the back of the taxi.

"Erwin. Hello." Better. Still dazed. "Oh. Oh, you've come home."

Erwin laughs. "Yes. I'm in the taxi now. I'll be at my apartment in an hour. It's late, I'm probably just going to bed."

Levi hums. "Yeah...do that. Get some sleep."

A month is a long time. Erwin can't quell the nervous patter of his heart. He wants to ask to see Levi but doesn't. He tells him goodnight which Levi murmurs the same and hangs up feeling like he's misplaced something important.

 

Levi doesn't call at all the next day, but Erwin is groggy with jet lag and unpacking. Levi would make this go faster, make good strong coffee and fold everything. Mike comes over for beers and catching up. 

"Where's the little one?" Even after months together, he still calls Levi that. 

"Not sure," Erwin shrugs and takes a gulp of his beer that feels big in his throat and sort of hurts. Mike gives him a look but shrugs.

 

Erwin calls Levi but Levi doesn't answer. It makes him sick, more worried for Levi than anything. He lets himself into Levi's apartment and heaves a sigh of relief when the deafening roar of music fills the apartment from the studio. Erwin slides the four part doors to the studio into the wall.

It's a disaster inside in a way Erwin has never seen before. Levi's up on a ladder painting on a canvas at least ten feet by ten feet. Piano music without rhythm or melody, just jarring jangling noise, booms from a set of speakers. Levi's discarded his apron, given over to a pair of overalls covered in paint, lines of it from wiping brushes on himself. A long sleeves shirt in a similar state. Paint on his eyebrow, his cheek and jaw, and dark circles under his eyes.

"Erwin!" He almost falls off his ladder. Erwni turns the music down while Levi looks around his studio. Mugs of tea with brushes soaking in them, water bottles with paint-print finger marks. The entire pot of coffee and a mug sit empty. "Hi."

Erwin kisses his lips carefully and frowns. Levi has morning breath. It's afternoon. He purposefully stays behind the canvas so he doesn't spy uninvited on Levi's work - that upsets him a great deal.

"When did you last shower?" Levi eye's go wide and he looks lost. "Eat?" Nothing. "When did you sleep last?" 

"Uhm."

Erwin takes him by his shoulders and steers him towards the door. "Wait, wait I'm in the middle of something." Levi wrestles clear and goes back to his ladder, clambers up while Erwin gapes. "Erwin, I'm sorry. I'm glad you're safe and sound but please just--" he looks from the canvas to Erwin and back several times. "Two minutes."

"I'm making food," Erwin grunts.

Ten minutes later, he forcibly drags Levi out of the studio, out of his clothes and into the kitchen to "sit and eat damnit." Mac and cheese from a box. Carbs. He doesn't let Levi up from the table until he's had a full glass of water.

"Get clean. You'll feel better," he says more softly when Levi just looks ill and shakey. Levi does as he's told with very little grumbling, scrubs himself pink. Probably makes his gums bleed from brushing his teeth.

"Clean and sweet," he announces, appearing in an actual set of pajamas and going to Erwin on he couch. He cuddles up and hugs Erwin like a monkey. "I'm sorry. I got carried away."

Erwin really isn't mad. It isn't about him not mattering to Levi, it's about consumption. Levi gets a little lost, but soon enough everything centers on Erwin. That's intimidating. Being the object of Levi's attention. They spend all day in bed, just lazing around, sharing touch and talking. Erwin kisses where paint looks like bruises on Levi's skin and Levi talks about missing Erwin.

"I found a really great juice bar. It has that healthy trendy shit you like. Hemp protein or something weird."

Levi prefers ice cream, so the gesture is entirely for Erwin. He kisses down Erwin's spine and massages the small of his back. Nips lower over Erwin's buttcheeks and nuzzles at the blonde hairs that decorate him head to toe. Erwin drags Levi back up for real kisses and pins him to the bed.

"I feel like an egg," Levi huffs.

"Good. I'm incubating you." Levi squirms, squashed beneath Erwin. 

"I miss you, you big hen." Levi gets free enough to twist beneath Erwin and hug him.


	16. Erwin walks some dogs and sucks at it

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erwin walks like a bajillion dogs and levi has to help

The Irish Wolfhound's name is Hagrid, the Great Dane is Gotham. The two sleek Weimaraners are Guiness and Heineken. The Dauchshund is Bug. The Chesapeake babygirl was Princess, the old white faced lab was Barney. The three pit mutts are Sludge, Queenie and Blue.

Erwin has his hands full. They're on 17th, not that far till the dog park. And DC is thankfully not New York so it isn't that bad. The struggle is mostly just cause he keeps tripping on Bug who waddles in amongst his feet. Hagrid and Gotham pull ahead a little but everyone is wearing a harness at least. But still, how the hell does Mike manage this? Everyday? The guy makes a fortune off walking these pooches, and no wonder he's so terrifyingly strong. 

People either cast him looks aghast, avoid him all together -- not difficult when he has a dog forcefield-- or invade the sanctity of dog walking to pet the pooches he doesn't even own.

He's almost to the park when Princess gets free, young and brash, and bolts across the street in a blur of cocoa coloured fur. "Fuck!" Oh god oh god. Erwin's heart serizes in a panic, but the dog doesn't get hit. He can't cross now, not with traffic, not with nine oher dogs to keep close.

A man running catches the dog almost instantly, spots Erwin on the other side of the street. "Hey!" Erwin calls. The man looks at Erwin, at the dogs, then points in the direction of the park. He is tappig his feet, jogging in place.

"I'll meet you at the park," he calls to Erwin and takes off with Princess who doesn't seem to mind more or less being abducted.

Erwin gapes, but then the light changes and he hustles across the street and makes his way in pursuit. The man hasn't stolen Princess, is instead running her around the park. He laps back to Erwin, small and sweaty, dark hair pulled back into a slightly comical ponytail. He pulls it off with strikingly sharp features.

"You're a goddamn car accident waiting to happen," the runner scolds. Erwin flushes in shame and offense.

"Gee yeah, I know. Thanks for your help." 

The man grunts and starts disentangling the weimaraners from the other dogs, still bouncing and jogging in place. "Whatever. I'm Levi. Gimme some dogs."

"Why?" 

Levi huffs like it's obvious and maybe it is. "Do you really want to attempt to exercise these mutts by yourself?" Erwin wonders if it's kindness bringing this on, but the darting looks Levi shoots up at him between pushing dog noses away from his crotch suggest other intentions.

Erwin probably shouldn't but Levi appears to know what he's doing so they split the dogs up into two groups and start running. Bug and Barney lag so Erwin drops their leashes and thankfully they follow behind. Levi eventually drops his leashes too and takes off at a mad sprint. The loosed dogs chase after in excitement as Levi calls "here you big mutts" and the rest jerk out of Erwin's hands. Levi manages to keep ahead of even the wolf hound, short legs working for all their worth.

"You're amazing," Erwin tells him later, buying Levi a new water. The dogs drink from a doggie fountain and Levi reeks of sweat, shirt soaked all over. He's disgusting and really fucking hot and draining his water bottle. Erwin casually watches the bob of his taut throat and the path of a few beads of sweat. 

"Thanks," Levi says neutrally, plucking at his shirt to get some air on him. He lifts it up a bit and Erwin sees the cut of hipbones and abs just briefly. Levi squints at him. "I know you. Where do I know you?"

Erwin pinks with pleasure and goes for his best modest voice. "I'm playing Cassio at the Folger right now in Othello."

The tables flip flop and Levi is gaping at Erwin. "No way, are you shitting me! I just saw that, you were amazing, so beautiful, the whole show and -- the set design was gorgeous, the music and lighting was really nice."

They end up grinning at each other for a stupid minute before Levi clears his throat and ducks his head. "I hope you brought doggy bags," Levi snorts, slapping Erwin's arm lightly and pointing to one of the dogs waddling and shitting like a humpbacked old man. 

Erwin groaned wearily. "He couldn't sit still and do that?"

Levi cackles quietly while Erwin goes to deal with the mess. He throws the baggie out immediately and there's even a hand sanitzer dispenser by the trashcan.

"Don't touch me," Levi warns. Erwin grimaces.

Levi helps Erwin deliver each dog on the route back. "So why are you walking a bajillion dogs, Mr. Shakespeare?"

"My best friend is sick today, so I covered for him." Erwin has keys to a bunch of apartments. They deliver Bug last. Erwin fills up his wayer bowl while Levi -- "Levi?"

Levi is inspecting the contents of Mrs. Paglia's refridgerator. "What? You telling me you aren't gonna poke around a stranger's home? She's got organic cherry juice."

Erwin really can't tell if Levi is fucking with him because he doesn't know Levi. Levi smirks at the expression of panicked indecision on Erwin's face. "No. That's invasive and wrong. Stop it," Erwin orders. 

Levi hums and washes his hands at the kitchen sink, shoots Erwin a look over his shoulder that hits Erwin low in his gut. "I think it's fun." Levi turns and flicks water at Erwin. "Wash your hands."

They should leave. Right now. Mike will kill him. Old Mrs. Paglia will kill him. He'll be arrested.

Erwin steps towards the sink and pins Levi against it. He's so small, all firm muscle. Erwin reaches around him easily and Levi pumps grapefruit scented soap onto his hands, rubs them together with Erwin. Levi smells like sweat, is damp and gorgeous with his hair pulled back so nicely for Erwin to kiss the back of his neck.

Water gets splashed on them but Levi turns the taps off before Erwin grabs him and lifts him onto the counter next to the sink, kissing him hard. It's pretty much one of the stupider things Erwin has done but he's kissing a near stranger in some lady's house and it makes his pulse race. Levi's thighs around his waist make his pulse race more.

Levi has dark eyes that crinkle into barely visible crescents when he smiles. Which he is doing when Erwin pulls back, lip throbbing from a sharp bite. Levi looks at Erwin like he's edible, pushes Erwin's hair back from his face. "Aren't you something."

Erwin can't stand that cool expression on Levi's face. Too smug. He leans in and kisses Levi's neck, bite down on the tangy skin so Levi grunts and jerks against him. He thinks he hears Levi mumble, "I'm making out with Cassio" before he pushes Erwin away and hops off the counter.

"Do you have a condom?" Levi asks.

Erwin sputters, definitely hard but, "you can't be serious?"

Levi looks down to where Erwin tents his shorts, then at his own bulge, then up to Erwin. Shrugs. "Let's see if the old lady has a stash." He really goes looking too until Erwin drags him out of the bedroom, laughing. 

"You're crazy, aren't you?"

Levi smirks up at him, bedrom eyes. "Says the dog walker of death doom and destruction." 

"Rude," Erwin says. On the way to the metro, Levi allows Erwin to hold his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was so dumb omg sorry


	17. ship in a bottle

“I want to show you something,” Erwin whispered into Levi’s ear that morning, lips close enough to make Levi shiver. 

“If it’s your dick, I’ve already seen it.”

“The baths tonight after turn in.” Erwin smiled just barely before walking away. He left Levi with an order and curiosity. 

The baths were generally cold pools Levi detested, going murky and slimy with dirt and sweat from too many men slopping through like sows. He hated them. Erwin knew that.  
Tonight, however, Levi faced down a clean hot bath. He dabbled his fingers through it, testing it. 

“To your liking?” Erwin said behind him, startling Levi. Before he could get a tongue lashing, he kissed Levi to silence. Levi inhaled against his lips, surprised, and Erwin took advantage of every vulnerability in him to wrap Levi in his arms.

Subdued, Levi waited with admirable patience for Erwin to explain himself. “Get in the bath, I have a present for you.”

“A present? What, are you wooing me?” He was in sleep clothes, so they fell off easily. He hung them on the hooks along the wall; Erwin did not grab his naked flesh, though he looked with candlelight burning in his eyes. Levi sank into the tub with a loud sigh, the hot water painful and dizzying and good. 

“Well, are you getting in? Don’t just stare like a creeper.” Levi wouldn’t be surprised if the present was a thorough fucking. Erwin soaking him so he was soft and clean and too tired to protest getting fucked raw. 

Levi wiggled his toes under water, pulled his foot out to see how pink scorched the skin was. He sank lower, could slip underneath the water entirely. “Hurry before I drown myself,” he prompted.

Erwin undressed under Levi’s scrutiny. He had a bag on a hook from which he withdrew a dark bottle. “Booze? You are planning to fuck me.” Levi shifted to the edge of the tub so Erwin could get in behind him, so Levi could lean back against his strong chest.

“Not booze. Here.” Ever the romantic, Erwin handed the bottle over without more presentation than that. 

“What the fuck, it’s so dusty.” And light, no booze. Levi grimaced at the dirt on his hands and held everything out of the relatively clean water so it wouldn’t get soiled. He reached out and used Erwin’s towel to clean the bottle off. “What..what’s inside?”

Erwin wrapped his hands around Levi’s waist to pull him close, to kiss the wet skin of his neck. “It’s a ship in a bottle,” he murmured, voice light, awed. Levi turned the bottle carefully, held it up to the candlelight better.

The glass was tinted green and inside was a ship, a boat, like he’d never seen before. Big sails. “How’d they get it inside?” Hesitantly, he put the bottle in the water, the cork snug in the neck. It bobbed and floated, the ship balancing it.

“A craftsman.” 

“We don’t have boats like that anymore.” 

“No,” Erwin agreed, tapping the glass, making it sink a little before it righted nicely. “Can you imagine ships like this, as big as the barracks, on the ocean?”

Levi could not. He could not really imagine the ocean. He barely had the imagination to conceive of getting a hot bath. He dripped water over the bottle and rubbed at a smudge with his thumb. He couldn’t remember the last time someone got him anything, even a dusty old relic. 

“One day,” Erwin said in a dreamer’s voice, “we’ll sail on a ship like that, Levi.”

Levi closed his eyes and tried to imagine, but all he could think about was how many trips Erwin must have made to fill the tub with hot water. He thought about the drought from a few years ago, about when the lowlands flooded with rain and mud. How many buckets it took to fill an ocean and if the water would be crisp and clear. “Thank you, Erwin.”

He had to keep it in his trunk under the bed when he still had a bunk, but when he was promoted, the bottle had a place on his desk. He wished he had a nice big window like Erwin so the light could come in through the glass. Putting it on the desk was a mistake, it turned out. And it was Erwin's fault, pushing him down in a frenzy. Three thrusts into Levi and the desk rattled so hard the stand fell, the bottle falling free and shattering on the ground.

Levi heard the breaking of a tea cup all over again. He pushed Erwin away, out of him, far more upset than some toy, some little useless ship in the bottle warranted. He tugged on his boots and went to the closet for his sweep to clean up the mess. "This is your fault," he told Erwin, rescuing the still intact ship from the battlefield of broken glass.

In his hands, without the glass, the ship looked so much smaller, so much less faraway. It wasn't trapped inside an impossible shell, defying logic. No careful hands had put in into a home. Their recklessness had broken it open to the elements. Wooden, light in his hand, the sails a little crooked. He marveled at it all the same. 

They took it to the bath with them. For a moment, it bobbed in the water. Then it fell onto its side, floated, and slowly sank as water filled up the hollow cavity of its empty center. It settled to a grave between Levi's thighs. 

"What kind of shitty ship doesn't float," Levi asked, voice far more strained than he expected. 

Erwin wrapped his arms around Levi, rested his chin on his shoulder, an anchor weighing him down. "I'm sorry, Levi. I'll try to find you another."

Another toy, like that's what mattered. Levi clenched his jaw, snatched up the ship and tossed it out of the tub where it hit the ground with clatter, breaking. Levi stared, eyes wide, before he twisted in Erwin's arms. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that, you got me that ship." He broke it, he threw it. The present Erwin got him. Smashed on the ground.

Erwin held Levi's distraught face between his hands. "Levi, it's okay."

Levi's breath rattled in his throat. "But it's the ship you got me." Didn't Erwin understand. "I broke it." 

There was no reason to care. A little thing like that, it didn't matter. Levi knew it. But it was the closest thing he'd ever come to imagining the ocean.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a metaphor, you see.
> 
> About the snk spoilers and erwn smith...


	18. Surgery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Written for natsu-no-kami  
> Who wanted mistaken heartbreak and reconciliation (I’m bad at fluff)  
> taken from my tumblr

Levi wakes up during the surgery. Erwin knows when because the screaming starts. A panick that builds. How the delirium must trap Levi in a terror, a bone saw goring him. Erwin’s arm aches in sympathy, gone. He listens to Levi’s agony before they can put him back under. 

Erwin made the mistake of thinking that with the war won, he wouldn’t have to hear his soldiers scream like that anymore.

They keep Levi sedated for a week. There’s fever, sickness. Erwin watches them change the bandages. He remembers worshipping the arch of that foot. The bony ankle that failed, in the end. When he’d kissed the taught pink tendon, how could he have not felt its demise?

The gates are flung open to a freedom Levi cannot run and embrace. The bitter irony seasons the days that past.

He’s there when Levi comes to one day, a spell of awareness between fogs. Levi looks like hell.

"It’s the 13th," Erwin says, voice clear and soft. 

They aren’t rich in this new age, but they’re respected anew. Levi’s room is scented with flowers. There are tins of tea and snacks. Balms and oils. Even fine paper and pens.

"I’ll make you tea." He rises, no more unbalanced movement from him, the lopsided weight of his body adjusted for. His own footsteps sound like taunts. "We had a council meeting yesterday. We’re devising a representative cabinent, if you’d like some part—"

"Erwin," Levi croaks. He has to swallow around the pine needle prickle in his throat. "Get. Out "

It’s been a long time since someone’s commanded Erwin. He doesn’t remember it feeling like a blow.

He follows orders. He’ll wait, he decides, until he receives another. 

Of all people Levi sends for, he wants Ymir. After an executive meeting, Ymir mentions her destination. 

“I never got to properly thank him for all he did,” Historia says. “At the time. I didn’t thank him.” 

Theirs was always a thankless job, Erwin thinks. 

Why Ymir? 

Erwin caves around the sunken blow of Levi’s dismissal and dogs Ymir. She grins, all fire. She really is a handsome creature. She reminds Erwin of Hanji. 

“He said he always liked how much of a bitch I was.” She’s not lying, but even she can’t hold Erwin’s eyes long. “He wanted to know about Mikasa.” 

She juts her chin out so her jaw looks stronger and marches past Erwin without a salute because he no longer deserves salutes, even if they come from the few particularly patriotic. 

Sasha and Connie visit Levi of their own accord two weeks later. That makes sense. They were the ones who found Levi unconscious but blessedly alive at the end of the battle. 

“Tolerable,” Sasha snorts. “We’re tolerable.” 

Connie clears his throat and waves a corrective finger in the air. “Not just tolerable. ‘The most tolerable,’” he quotes. 

Erwin knows that from Levi, that’s an excessive compliment. He must be very fond of those two. 

Levi tends to start liking people once he finds out they won’t die in front of him. Once he learns it’s safe to like them. 

All Levi ever really wants is to not be broken. 

Erwin is the most unsafe man this side of the revolution. The most at risk target is Historian, but Ymir stalks her closer than a shadow. The priceless moment when in a public assembly Ymir had transformed when a heretic protestor had gotten close to the lecturn had safely warded away most future assassination attempts. 

The people want to hold out for peace. Hopes been planted. 

Eren’s dark and unapproachable most days but he sticks close to Erwin — maybe just because Erwin and Armin occupy the same room more often than not. 

It’s past a month. Erwin hasn’t gone to the military facility to see him. He doesn’t even know that Levi’s started PT. 

Erwin should know better than to not stay up to date on Levi. It just seemed….proper. To try to avoid Levi when not having him makes even the firmament above uninspiring and cold. 

The thud-skip sound makes Erwin lift his head from his work. it stops outside of his office and then, without a knock, the person jiggling his doorknob and pushes it open. Levi hobbles his way in in crutches. 

“Levi.” Erwin sounds far too surprised evidentaly because Levi — out of breath, he’s strained himself making this trek. Who let him — shoots him a scathing look. 

“Yes. Levi. I am alive still, God knows why.” He knocks the door closed with a crutch and makes his way to the couch. He sits heavily, easy grace mangled. “Or did you forget?” 

“I would never forget,” Erwin starts, enraged at Levi for this. Levi’s eyebrows shoot up at the tone and Erwin catches himself. The day feels too long. “I know very well that you’re alive, Levi. Don’t even think otherwise. It is the only mercy this war has spared me,” he finishes quietly. 

Levi bites his lip, frowning at Erwin. He readjusts his crutches and busies himself laying then against the arm of the couch. He sits himself up straighter. His prosthetic is on; his left leg has straps of modified gear that connect the reinforced wooden foot and ankle structure to his leg. A ball joint will let him walk once he’s stronger and can bare the weight. It was designed before the amputation. He only has one boot on. His left leg descends into bandages, straps and the wooden fitting. 

“Well you sure didn’t make it obvious,” Levi says, the admission of his hurt. Erwin closes his eyes. 

“You said to get out when you saw me.” 

“What? Well, no fuck. I needed to be alone.” 

Erwin laughs at himself, ashamed and embarrassed. “You didn’t mean forever.” 

There’s silence and then: “how the fuck did we win this with an idiot like you in charge.” 

Erwin sobers. “With soldiers like you.” 

“With too many soldiers,” Levi counters. They are not healed men. They bite into the silence. Levi flops onto his back, sprawling as best he can on Erwin’s couch. He is a living miracle. Erwin’s miracle. 

Erwin rises to kneel in supplication before him. He wants forolive branches and burning incense. “I did this to you.” 

“Don’t tell lies anymore, Erwin. We’re too old for that shit.” Levi still looks like hell, but then, they are not healed men. There is still so much of Levi for Erwin to worship. 

“I love you,” Erwin pronounces. 

“That’s better.” 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taken from my tumblr stillmadaboutpetra  
> Prompted by an anon

The Au we don’t need –

Heroics did not suit Levi Ackerman. Jumping overboard and drowning himself into nothing but a tragic note in the history of a crumbled family lineage did not suit him. It almost did, it very nearly did. Strangers too breathtaking for words drown him instead – “if you’re going to jump, at least take off that suit” cock-sure, talking out of the side of his mouth, with eyes that stretched beyond the horizon. 

Levi should have thrown his rotten corpse into the ocean and spared himself the grief of living.   


Through the glass partitions of the smoking room, already tinted with the cling of tobacco, Levi catches sight of Marie. Lovely Marie, his poor bride to be. Nothing but a girl ill-fated to take the red from his ledger and soak it in her hair. He has the name her mother wants, and she has the money his father needs. They are exchanged like goats. 

“I’m losing you, Lee,” Erwin puffs, cigar sweetening his words with smoke. He’s too close, always too close. Erwin is _that sort of man_. Levi can tell - and worse, he knows Erwin can tell the same of him. It makes Levi feel thin, looked through by everyone. He doesn’t dare lift his eyes to Erwin for then the man would be inside him instantly with a look.

Brandy lacquers his lips with a sip, tingling like peppers and brown sugar. “I’m not yours to begin with,” Levi murmurs. Erwin has overstayed his welcome in this space, with his borrowed clothes and smooth talking. With his hand creeping down Levi’s back, just a brush. 

“But what if you were,” Erwin whispers into his ear, lips brushing cobweb fine hairs that race shivers down Levi’s neck. A gasp punches out of his throat, and Levi meets Erwin’s low gaze. It’s the bottom of the ocean. 

Erwin takes his hand in a firm shake. “I greatly appreciated your invitation this evening, Mr. Ackerman. You are as noble as name suggests,” he says loudly, a clear parting of ways. Farewell, farewell. Here and gone, summer solider.

Disbelieving and deflated, Levi finishes his drink, smokes, head too low for the high chatter of shallow men. A pat to his pocket for his snuffbox crinkles the silk, and Levi measures the racing of his heart as he surreptitiously unfolds a note. Farewell, farewell, he is going. 

The fluted crystal doorknob warms beneath Levi’s hand as he edges to the precipice of no-return. Half of him is sure that he’ll be ambushed when he opens the door, struck down and ruined; that his name, the one thing he has, will be tarnished and slandered through every newspaper. The other half worries that the accusations will be true. 

Cowardliness does not suit him either. Levi opens the door, darting inside and closing it with a snick. Erwin looks up from his sketchbook, mouth delighted and eyes relieved. He is that sort of man. 

“Levi. You came.” He marvels at Levi.

“How did you get in here?” Levi distracts, tugging his cravat from his neck to mop the nervous sweat at his hairline. Erwin holds up a key, clearly snatched. A steerage boy and a pickpocket – wonderful. “Of course,” Levi sums dryly, dropping heavily onto the couch beside Erwin, within arms reach but appropriately spaced. Forgive him his reservations. 

Whatever Erwin sees in him has his lips dancing smiles, and he flounders, tongue-tied before Levi’s expectant gaze. There is a necessary pretense. Lit candles melt slowly. The room swims in light, all the more liquid for the waves that rock them. 

“Well,” Levi demands softly, demands the horizon from Erwin’s eyes, “you wanted me here.” 

Erwin slides his gaze away, profile dreaming elsewhere. It burns to not be beneath his eyes. Levi swallows, hand raise to feel the stone fo anxiety work down his throat. Time bends slowly.

“Erwin.”

“I want you as you are, Lee,” Erwin professes, lifting his face and sweeping his attention across oil paintings and brass fixtures before he turns it back to Levi, only to be stunned still. “What are you doing.”

Levi stands and sheds his suit coat and shirt, dropping them to the floor in disdain. “Commissioning you,” he sniffs. Already his skin prickles with each strip bared. “Go lock the door.” Erwin’s stock-still, eyes growing into moons watching him strip. “Now, Erwin.”

“Right.” Up he goes, borrowed shoes crushing the carpet. Levi shoves off his clothes when his back is turned and all but throws himself onto the couch, heart beating a tattoo against his ribs, stomach in knots and heat stirring between his legs. 

“Draw me like one of your French girls,” Levi blurts the second Erwin turns – he’s no fool, Erwin heard him undressing. He’s unprepared for the way Erwin rakes his gaze over Levi’s naked form, from the black crown of his hair to the point of his toes. 

“I don’t think I can do that,” Erwin says in a low voice, stepping to the couch with a new lightness, heels silent. He stands over Levi, broad, unimaginable, who is this man. 

“Why the fuck not,” Levi frowns, rolling over onto his back, fear and arousal twining down his spine, encouraging his fogged mind and twitching cock. Kill him, just bludgeon him to death. He is dying. Throw him in the sea. Erwin stares down at him, eating him in looks. His lips have fallen apart, white teeth a crescent moon in the black of his mouth. 

Even though it’s slowly, it still startles Levi when Erwin kneels on the floor, coming close to Levi, eye-level. 

“Because you are a man,” he breathes, reaching out with a wide palm to skim the curve of Levi’s shoulder, the structure of his deltoid and bicep. His touch burns, ignites, every pebble of Levi’s shivering skin is a thousand times more. Levi squeezes his eyes as he feels himself length against his thigh, giving himself away with embarrassing need.

“Draw me,” Levi demands in a whine, the sides of his nose and between his brows crunched with wrinkles in a scrawny kitten-like scowl. 

“I am,” Erwin promises. He touches reverently, calloused fingers tracing the lines of Levi’s body, palm sweeping and smudging over flank and ribs, the jumping muscle of Levi’s abdomen. His knuckles edge the shallow jut of Levi’s hip, the shadowy dip, the chiaroscuro of pitch hair curled between his legs. Erwin kills him in slow sweeps of his hand, captures and kills him in lingering details. A blunt nail etches red down the inside of Levi’s thigh. 

“I am,” Erwin repeats, smiling dazedly at the helpless arch levi gives him, that Erwin’s made in him. “Look at you.”

His words lick a strike of colour up Levi’s throat. A few touches have made Levi hard, wet even, and it’s a struggle not to rub his thighs together, to grab Erwin’s hand and put it between his legs. “You better fucking draw me or do something about this,” Levi grits, eyes slender blades of accusation. Erwin is a guilty man.

He only laughs, playful, skates his fingers up Levi’s sides to force an undignified squeal from his lips. “You have a foul mouth.”  


“Erwin, I swear–”

They kiss. A lighting flash of contact. Silence reigns, then thunder, another, another. They rage a tempest on each other. As it turns out, Levi is a marvelous kisser, and his groomed nails scratching urgency into scalp, neck, back, unwind Erwin. He sheds his coat and shirt. The couch creaks with Erwin’s body joining Levi, bracketing him in between thighs and arms. 

“Lovely. You’re so lovely – Lee.” Erwin’s breathless, speaking around the swollen meat of Levi’s lip between his teeth,. Levi holds his cheeks, smooth with a fresh shave, talcum mellow. 

“I’ve never – with a man–” he gasps.

“It’s easy. It’s easy,” Erwin assures, breaking down the last weak defenses Levi had against him and this. He kneels back and lifts the easy part of Levi’s legs, folds between them and kisses his cock which rises and bobs like a flag of surrender. 

“I’ll show you,” he says, tongue articulating a fine lesson on the red tip of Levi’s cock. His sharp aquiline face is made all the more charming to Levi as Erwin defiles himself on his cock, lips stretch and cheeks hollowing, eyes closed in concentration or flaring brilliantly to Levi, in tease, in approval, in reassurance and torment. They go silent save for this, and it’s hardly silent. Levi cant catch his breath, always leaving him in a rush, and Erwin sucks and slurps, careless and precise, hand moving Levi’s foreskin or cupping his balls or holding his thighs down with a laugh as his hips jump. The ship creaks and they pause. Voices raise and they freeze. But they carry on, losing themselves to the heat of each other until Levi is biting his hand and breathing harshly and Erwin is jerking him off rapidly while he sucks on the tip, until Levi spills messily into his mouth, emptying what feels like his whole life into Erwin. Swallowed up.

Erwin catches his breath between kissing Levi’s sweaty stomach and Levi stares at the ceiling weighing the odds that he has thrown himself off the boat and washed ashore a tropical beach and is suffering a mirage.

“Are you with me, Lee,” Erwin teases after some time, kissing Levi’s chin almost shyly, face red and eyes all but black with arousal. Almost curiously, Levi nudges his leg, presses up and rubs between Erwin’s thighs to find him as hard as a rock inside his pants.  It shocks them both, Levi more, as Erwin only groans and drops his head onto Levi’s shoulder. Erwin’s erection is a hot bone, twitching, and just the knowledge of it has Levi short of breath all over again. 

“I,” he starts. 

Erwin kisses his neck profoundly. “You don’t have to do anything.”

“How gentlemanly,” Levi snorts, dragging his nails up Erwin’s naked back.. “But I want to. I need to,” He combs Erwin’s hair back, lifts his gorgeous face. “Show me.”

Erwin laughs and quirks an eyebrow. “I thought I just showed you.” But he stands up, a little wobbly, a little stiff, but complying readily. Levi sits up, entranced at the snake of Erwin’s belt slithers from the loops of his pants and then the button snapping open and the zipper falling down. Erwin shimmies out of his pants, the shadow of his cock a dark tent under white cotton, and after a confirming look Levi’s way, out of his underwear, socks too. 

He is….well….Michelangelo’s David hardly prepares civil society.

“So this is the Titanic,” Levi finally muses, lips pursed and eyes crossed. Erwin busts out laughing, and his frankly alarmingly huge cock bounces. 

“You are a modern wonder, Levi Ackerman,” Erwin declares, brushing his hand ove rhis thigh and grasping the base of himself. The head points at Levi. The skin bunches forward, covers the red tip, pulls back with Erwin’s hand so the skin glistens, the slit dripping. 

Levi’s knees hit the floor with a thud. 

Erwin bites his lip, held in wrapped silence, as Levi feels his way up Erwin’s hairy thighs, around to his buttocks for a contemplative squeeze. His cock smells like rising dough. The air feels thick and muggy and Levi is going to fall through the floor, puddle into the carpet. He waits for the door to crash open, for all hell to break loose. He kisses Erwin’s pelvis, brown and blond dusted hair tickling his chin and the hot line of his cock against his cheek. 

“Lee,” Erwin stutters, patient and taut beneath Levi’s hands.

He tastes like beer. Levi licks him, embarrassed, kisses the underside, lips soft.

“Remember teeth,” Erwin whispers, strained. 

Levi hums, like Erwin did, and finds satisfaction in the audible catch in Erwin’s breathing. He opens his mouth and slips his cock inside. The hot weight of it makes Levi moan, unchecked, surprising them both. Erwin’s fingers claw briefly in his hair before he relents, petting Levi apologetically and just pressing him forward enough that the fullness slips in, so full, stretching Levi and making his mouth water, filling him up so the fullness goes down to his belly and lower. His mouth makes embarrassing noises, but Erwin is sighing above him and stroking his hair and his hips twitch forward here and there until spit and precum are dripping down Levi’s chin and his hand has a rhythm matched to his mouth and Levi is aching between his legs all over again, anus throbbing for something he’s too scared to consider and lips pleasantly tingling with burgeoning numbness, roughened and swollen and he thinks deviant and pervert and queer until they become white noise beneath this mutual satisfaction.

Erwin pulls out, knowing better than Levi not to try to swallow the first time. He comes on his chest instead, Levi’s hands urging him to orgasm. In the end, Levi is slumped on the drawing room floor, sticky and sweaty, Erwin’s come cooling on his chest and his cock half hard. The scene had only been entertained in his wild imaginations.

Levi repulses himself when he licks Erwin clean. He wants to suck him hard again, but Erwin winces and moves him back to the couch, finds a cloth napkin and wipes Levi clean – its hidden under the couch for the next unfortunate soul to find.  
–  
Erwin does draw levi, an expressive charcoal sketch, his signature a treasured flourish in the corner. 

Levi holds it by its edges. “I know you want the world, but stay with me when we get to America. Ill put you up.”

“You have no money,” Erwin points out, lighting a cigarette. They shouldn’t smoke in here, but they also shouldn’t have sex in here either. 

“I will.” Suddenly, his marriage has a grander purpose. “You’ll be our artist, you’ll have the patronage of the Ackermans. You’ll be our magnificent artiste. Erwin, listen.“

Finding his clothes, Erwin tugs on his shirt, cigarette poking out of his mouth. “What, and draw your wife’s portrait. Then your kids?” 

It’s an inevitable course. “I’ll establish you,” Levi argues. He can make Erwin a principle artist.

“A kept boy.” Erwin flips through his sketchbook, shoulders hunched. Levi can’t believe Erwin believes that for a second. He moves closer to him, and when his touch isn’t shaken off, he wraps around Erwin, resting his head on Erwin’s capable shoulders.

“Give up the world for a few years, Erwin, be in mine,” he pleads sweetly. Reasonably. Be reasonable, Erwin.

“I hear it’s awful.” He blows a plume of smoke and fixes Levi with a look that’s familiar for all its novelty. Like they’ve been through his before. Ludicrously, Levi thinks, _of course, we’re soulmates_ and hates himself for it.

“You will make it brilliant. Illuminate it, all of it. – please.” He cups Erwin’s cheek. “I don’t want to see you go, see you wasted.”

For a moment, Erwin looks so hard, so unrelenting, Levi fears him lost. The horizon is a ninety degree drop, and there they go, a tragic finale.

Erwin smokes, eyes stoning the far well before he sets his jaw anew. “…when we land?”

“When we land,” Levi vows.


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fashion au

Erwin finds an unnecessarily long gray hair along the summerstorm of his happy trail. He tweezes it immediately, pulling out a nice clump of skin particles too. If he were a child, he would run off to inspect this miniscule fragment of his  body under a microscope. but he’s not; he passed tenth grade biology and never wants to look back. he wipes the hair onto a square of toilet paper and discards it along with his self esteem.

It’s nothing, but he spends the day glancing at his reflection for more revealing signs of age then promptly berating himself for caring at all. 

“I found a gray hair,” he says with appropriate solemness, words a durge across the table. He’s having breakfast with Mike. Cafe - Black coffee, eggs, asparagus, pumpernickle toast. Bacon.

  


“Well shit,” Mike whistles low. “Better start watching your cholesterol and planning retirement.” He stabs up a strip of Erwin’s bacon to relieve him of the threat.

“On my belly,” Erwin whispers, stressing the absolute severity of the situation. he demands alarm and concern. Why does he need to explain himself? Mike should be up in arms on  behalf of his follicle pigmentation.

Mike fixes him with a look while he chews before he shoves the masticated bacon into the pocket of his cheek to talk: “Bottle blonde.”

Erwin gasps. “I’m not a bottle blonde.”

“Belly bottle blonde.” Mike dives in for another slice of bacon and almost loses a finger.

Erwin delicately pairs the wrinkled head of his asparagus with a chip of bacon. “Lemon juice does not a bottle blonde make,” he sniffs.

Mike slouches in his seat and groans to the ceiling. Their waiter takes it as a cue for more coffee.

–

Erwin goes where all good things go to die: the mall.

He buys a cinnabon and wanders around, sopping up his feelings with cream cheese frosting. Briefly, with nothing but escapist yearning, he walks into an American Eagle. To his great surprise, he sees an adult man shopping. Kinship blooms in Erwin’s heart: a fellow adult! Shopping! At American Eagle!!

But reality strikes him cold when the other adult turns and Erwin repulses at jeans with tears in the knee and a shirt emblazoned with the store logo. That looks so bad. he can’t wear that. He’s an adult. Nooo, no no. 

  
Erwin leaves the mall and carries his woes elsewhere, in search of rejuvenating style. No gray hairs would keep him down. He goes into town, searching searching.

  
In a boutique with more flowers than clothes in the window, Erwin finds his answer - sort of.

Stone gray eyes and sweeping shrouds of black. Erwin can’t tell if the person is wearing a dress or what, small and lost in layers of soul-sucking void, seemingly only held to the real world by a pair of heavy combat boots. 

  
  
Now that’s cool.

  


Funnily enough, the boutique doesn’t fit the all-black look. It appears to house apparel of all colours and meshes classic with new. Erwin’s intrigued. Intimidated.

“Good afternoon!” The cheery-voice person behind the counter greets. The all-black figure turns a cool face in Erwin’s direction, assessing his drab outfit with a clinical eye before a snooty nose tips into the air, nostrils flaring with a sniff, and the person floats off to refold sweaters.

  


  


“Hey,” Erwin greets, prompted to wave his fingers just a little as he ducks into the space, smelling like vanilla and linens. Upon closer inspection, he sees the clerk wearing a tag: 

Petra, Store Mananger, She/her

. “Hello, Petra,” Erwin repeats, smile growing. “Erwin, customer, he/him.”

She laughs even though she probably gets it all day. “Already declaring yourself a customer?” She carefully doesn’t blink at Erwin’s outfit or his neatly parted hair. It’s clear this isnt his usual store. 

“Hopefully,” he sighs and leans closer, elbows on the counter and voice confessional. “I need a lot of help.” 

Petra beams. “Say no more. You’re never too old for a fresh start.”

Erwin tries not to wince. 

“Levi, hey, c'mere. I need your expertise,” Petra calls, undaunted by the ball of mystery that is her coworker. Tag: 

Levi. I work here. They/them  


“Are you going to buy things,” Levi asks bluntly, arms crossed, face free of judgement, only a sharpness to their kohl-lined eyes. Erwin never thought smokey eyes were a good daytime look till now. And is that matte black nailpolish? This person looked pulled from a photoshoot of the most sinister variety.  


“Maybe?” Erwin isn’t such a fuddyduddy that he’s offended.

Levi nods. “Will you listen to me? Will you promise not to cry?”

Erwin glances at Petra who wears a winning smile that’s slightly murderous in the wrong light. Perhaps this isn’t the right store for him. “Will listening to you make me cry?”

Shrugging, Levi lays hands on Erwin, fisting his button down. “That depends,” they say, yanking the neatly tucked shirt free from Erwin’s pressed khakis. “entirely on you."T

hat this store isn’t out of business speaks wonders of their results because the process is mildly terrifying. What’s the saying: beauty is pain?

"I need a youthful edge,” Erwin says, letting Levi poke him and scrutinize him as they liked. “A refreshment. I’m in a rut.”

“Erwin, you are in our capable hands,” Petra promises, coming out from behind the counter. She’s in a pastel pink jumpsuit and it works, by some grace.  


“Floral,” Levi says tartly. “The Moncler blazer.”

Petra gasps and takes hold of Erwin’s elbow, as if shocked into pleasure. “Yes, oh, yes. It’s not too early for a little velvet either.”

For all their lack of colour, Levi chucks bright things at Erwin, literally, assuming Erwin will catch clothes left and right. The floor looks spotless, so he doesn’t feel bad when a pair of shorts falls from the growing pile in his arms. Petra finds him monkstraps, holding the leather to his nose to smell the quality. It’s chaos couture.  


“Do you have a tailor?” Levi asks from outside of the dressing room.  


Erwin, who’s struggling with a pair of jeans, grimaces as the zipper almost catches an important bit. “No.”

The curtain clinks as Levi throws it open, teeth bared. “Are you kidding me?”

 Erwin’s wildly glad he plucked that gray hair. “No? And you have terrible manners.” He whips the curtain closed on Levi’s face.

“Don’t harass him!” Petra shouts from across the store.

 Again, Erwin doesn’t know how they still exist, as he’s the only one in there. The dark forest green double breasted John Varvatos military peacoat Levi hands him when he’s out of the changing room has all confusion vanished from Erwin’s mind.

“Put it on,” Levi encourages, eating up the sight of Erwin shrugging the coat on. Fuck youth – a classic like this fits Erwin perfectly, cutting a noble line.

 "That’s good,“ they hum, stepping back to take it all in. Erwin fingers the button at the cuff, striking a demure pose under Levi’s inspection. There are mirrors everywhere, but Levi’s face tells Erwin everything he needs to know about how good he looks in the coat, and so too do Levi’s fingers brushing across his shoulders and down his arms. "This, you must have. It’s on sale.”  


Erwin suspects that isn’t true, but he doesn’t question Levi.He ends up buying the coat and the blazer and heeding their advice on all else. Petra runs into the back to get more tissue paper and Levi taps away on the register with black fingernails.

Erwin scratches the back of his head, desperate for an opening, figuring he has none, and blunders on painfully transparent: “I’m a little nervous to go shopping alone now.”

Levi looks up through the plumpest, darkest eyelashes Erwin has ever seen. Those can’t be real. “Do you want my card?”

“Only if I can see you off the clock,” Erwin says boldly, not looking at the total on the register.  


Levi’s penciled brows shoot up, like they’re genuinely surprised Erwin’s asking them out. “Maybe. I generally prefer getting people into clothes, not out of them,” they say evenly, taking one of the cards from the glass holders on the counter and scrawling their number on the back. “Text me first describing what you’re wearing before I decide if it’s business or pleasure.”  


Erwin tucks the card in his wallet with his credit card. “Deal.”


End file.
